Angel of Grey
by Eve Angel of Fate
Summary: Meg, compelled to search further for the Phantom, accidentally stumbles into his hidden passage, and in the process is locked in with him. What will this creature of light do when she must be forever caged with this creature of the night?
1. The Darkness Enfolds Her

Disclaimer: I of course own nothing but the fan fiction idea…oh how do I wish the Phantom belonged to me, but alas he does not!

Summary: Meg, compelled to search further for the Phantom, accidentally stumbles into his hidden passage, and in the process is locked in with him. What will this creature of light do when she must be forever caged, with this creature of the night?

Angel of Grey

Chapter one: The Darkness Enfolds Her

The white of the mask shone in the dieing candlelight, it's eternally vexed expression creating shadows that played along the creases. Meg ran her fingers along the smooth surface wondering. The mask was perfect, matte ceramic, still slightly warm from the face it had been on not long before. She got up, mask in hand, and sighed, fingering the red velvet of a drape as she thought. From what she knew of the Phantom (only rumors, fearful whispers, and speculations) he would never leave his mask. Why would he give up what was a part of him for so long? Perhaps he really was dead. Perhaps it was silly to be searching for him now. Everyone had been looking for an hour, and the general consensus was that he was dead, his body somewhere among the dark murky waters. Most of the people had left, feeling that if he was dead it wasn't worth looking for his body. Let him rot in the waters for an eternity, for all they cared. Only Meg and the police remained, and the police were getting ready to go.

Still, she couldn't help but think they were all missing something. She turned to go, but her foot slipped on the wet stone floor and she fell backward. Instead of hitting hard wall like she expected the drape behind her gave way and she tumbled down into darkness.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she awoke, her head was pounding, and she was damp and cold. It was completely pitch black, not even a peek of light shone. She noted she still had the mask in her hand, despite her fall. She fumbled with the tie on her belt, and tied one end through the eye hole. Despite her situation, she felt she needed to keep it with her. Now…to try to stand.

Meg stumbled up and nearly fell back down when her head felt like it imploded. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears tried to well out of her eyes, and groped through the darkness until she found a wall to her right side. Steadying herself against the wall she slowly walked foreword, hoping to God that she was going in the right direction. After walking for what seemed like hours, but could have been minutes, she saw a slight flickering light in the tunnel ahead. Relief flooded through her and she quickened her pace. Surely it was the entrance, and she would be met by her mother and the policemen. They would wrap a blanket around her, hand her a hot drink, murmur comforts to her and everything would be as if this had not happened.

As the tunnel widened, the light strengthened…and her hopes died. There was a body of water under the high roof of a large cavern, and the source of light was a single torch, still burning brightly, thrown carelessly on the ground…obviously whoever had lit it was in such a hurry that they did not take the time to put it out. Or, she thought with a shiver, too far gone in the descent of madness to care. She squinted across the water, but it was too dark to see if there was anything more than water ahead. She turned back to the tunnel. She would have to go back up that way…it had to be the way back. She looked at the torch and moved towards it. It would be better to have some light guiding her way…

As she stepped forward her toe caught on something unseen, and she fell…her quick reflexes honed by constant ballet training saved her this time and she was able to curl into a ball, rolling downwards to the water's edge. She was able to stop before she plunged into the dark water, and winced as her ears were assailed with the a loud rumble reverberating off the cavern walls. She propped herself up just in time to see several large stones and smaller stones, too many to count, falling over the entrance, covering it completely. She looked up to see that it was a trap…the rocks has been set up above the door…and the trigger was a small, almost invisible string, now on the ground shining dully against the firelight. Meg picked up the torch and pinned it between two rocks so it would stay upright, and carefully climbed to the top of the rock pile…if she could get just enough of the top rocks loose, she could squeeze through…she was skinny enough that she wouldn't need a large opening. After working for a short time removing the smaller rocks, she found that the pile was thicker than she thought…and the rock she had to remove next was huge - and also imbedded within several other large rocks. She tried desperately to get purchase on the rock to pull it out, but it was in vain…it wouldn't budge. She climbed down, and her foot missed a step on the bottom. She fell, though not far, and landed on her butt. The pain in her rear compounded with the pounding of her head and her cold, numb limbs sent her over the edge.

"What did I do to deserve this!" She cried, tears flowing down her face, "To die here alone in the cold with no company but the ghost of a dead phantom!"

She sobbed, and kept on for a time…how long exactly, she didn't know. Soon she fell into an exhausted sleep.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Meg, get up!"_

_Meg sat on the floor, crying. She had tried her very BEST to do the leap that her mother just taught her and the rest of the girls, but her foot slipped on the landing and she fell on her butt. All the girls had laughed at her, and her mother reproved them sharply, sending them away to run a lap around the first floor._

_Receiveing no response, Madame Giry sighed and said in a softer tone_

"_Meg, get up please."_

_Meg slowly got up, her legs wobbling from the impact. _

"_I hate this! I've done this a million times and I can't do it! I just can't!" Meg cried, tears of frustration still streaming down her face._

_Madame Giry kneeled down, lifted her daughter's chin with her finger and with a sharp look said,_

"_There is no such thing that you cannot do. Everything is possible, only some things are harder. If you keep up you will get better. If you try and fail, at least you tried…but if you give up now there is nothing. You must try, and try again!"_

_Meg wiped the tears from her eyes, and felt her determination return to her_

"_Yes, I won't give up mother!"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg slowly returned to consciousness. She sighed, and looked resolutely at the water.

"Come on Meg, you're better than this. What are you going to do, sit here and just waste away, or keep on trying?" she said to herself.

The entrance she went through couldn't be the only one. There could be one at the other water's end. She sighed and looked ahead. There were no ways around, she had no choice but to swim. She picked up the torch and blew on it softly, rekindling the small flame. She stuck the torch handle in her mouth and waded into the water. She inhaled sharply as the cold water touched her, and her damp pants clung to her legs. She wouldn't let the cold water stop her now though, and she waded deeper until the water was up to her chest. It leveled out there and she was able to continue to wade through the water. After not too long the water continued to deepen, and she had to awkwardly paddle to keep her head up. Her muscles were aching and cold, but she kept on. Her muscles were about to give out when finally her feet hit bottom again, and she stumbled onto dry ground. The impact with the shore made the torch tumble out of her mouth, and roll into the water. She cried out in dismay as the flame went out, but it was too late to save it. She was in the dark again. She crawled out of the water and drew her knees to her chest, rubbing her legs and arms, trying to get feeling back into them. They weren't completely numb…the water couldn't be any colder than 55 degrees…but prolonged exposure had let the cold seep into her very core, and it was getting harder to keep warm.

She looked up when she saw a flicker of light, and hope came to her again. It was enough to help her stand, and take a few wobbly steps towards the light source. A sound filled her ears, a haunting sound reverberating off the cave walls. She peeked around the cavern wall, and saw a large open space. There was a large bed to one side, and numerous crates stacked up on the other. On the wall straight ahead there was a carved out space and a fire-stove nestled in. A fire was going, and the light it created flickered off the walls and a lone figure sitting on the large rug between the bed and crates. His back was turned away from her, and he sang…his beautiful, dark, voice wavering, filled with sadness…

_My Angel of Music has left me now _

_and forever more_

_Forsaken, I am a fallen Angel, _

_reduced to fancy and lore_

_Soon I will fade away _

_into the darkness…_

_The darkness…_

Meg shivered, still freezing from the water, and getting colder by the minute. She was so exhausted that it was taking all her energy to stand, and her body was even having trouble finding the energy to just keep on shivering. The warmth that was emanating from the fire felt welcoming, but what could she do? He would probably kill her if she approached him. Then again, she might die if she kept on like she was. She wouldn't be able to find another way out in time…before her body just gave up from the cold and lack of nourishment. She took a step back, unsure of what to do, and some rocks loosed from under her feet and tumbled down into the chamber that held the Phantom. He leapt up, and turned to face her. That was the last thing she remembered before her body just gave up.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she awoke, she was in a warm bed, covered in soft blankets. To her left side was a warm iron wrapped in a blanket…no doubt it was warmed in the fire and put it in the bed to heat it. There was a cup of steaming broth by her bed and no Phantom in sight. She propped herself up gently and winced slighty as her head throbbed dully, though not as badly as before. She took the cup up and sipped it cautiously…it was a simple, but hearty chicken broth. It warmed her insides, and made her feel just a little more human.

Only when she finished the broth did she start to wonder about her situation. What was she doing here? Why didn't the Phantom do away with her? Where was he, for that matter…and why…she finally noticed how the soft blankets felt against her skin…and her completely naked body. She blushed, and pulled them tighter around her. If she was naked, then he had undressed her. Perhaps…he had something more terrible in mind for her than death. She shivered, this time not from the cold.

She looked around the room and saw her cloths hanging near the fire. She hastily wrapped a blanket around herself, and walked over, pulling on the now dry and warm cloths quickly while staying hidden under the blanket. She noticed the mask, still tied to her belt. Why would he leave it on there? Wouldn't he want it back?

She threw the blanket back on the bed and walked to the exit of the room. She had to get out of here while she still could…

A dark shape seemed to come from nowhere, blocking her way out. In the dark of the cave, away from the fire, his face stayed in shadow, and his expression was indiscernible.

"Why have you come here?" He said, his voice neither angry, nor forceful…but firm. The kind of firm that preceded forcefulness…if he did not receive an answer.

"I-I didn't want to…I fell and I…"

"You foolish girl…do you expect me to believe that? What about that?" He said, indicating the mask on her belt.

"You came seeking a further prize, a piece of the glory that all those wretches after me sought as well…that fateful night." He said, his voice beginning to fill with venom. Fear welled up in Meg. How could she make him believe her?

"No…I slipped and fell into a curtain and I…"

"You are lying…who are you leading to me?" He said, his voice cold, getting colder with each word.

"No…I swear I didn't! I…I didn't want to come here, I don't want to be here now…I just want to go back up to where there is light, to my mom…" To her great dismay she began to cry. _Dammit Meg! Now isn't the time for hysterics…_She thought frantically to herself. She had to keep her wits about her if she was going to get out of here…

"LIAR!" He roared, and stalked up to her. He grabbed her arms and shook her.

"Tell me now, if you value your life, tell me the truth." He growled. Meg bit her lip and stared directly at him. His face was truly horribly scarred like the rumors said…but not nearly as bad as they made it out to be. She found she was able to keep a steady gaze with his eyes, and she was surprised to find indignant anger welling up in her. After all this, and now she was being accused of lying, when she was telling the truth…at the expense of her life!

"NO I AM NOT! And I refuse to believe the great Phantom of the Opera cannot see the difference between a lie and truth, if you're supposed to be so smart!" She spat. She had nothing to lose, if he killed her now at least she wouldn't go with tears in her eyes, but instead defiance.

He looked for a moment like he would strike her, then he let her go, and stalked back inside the room.

Meg sighed in frustration.

"I was searching like everyone else, yes; but I didn't want you to die…I was just curious. I slipped and fell into the hidden pathway that brought me here…I tried to find my way back but I went the wrong way, and the entrance to the outside collapsed because of your trap! So I crossed the lake hoping to find another way out…and instead I found you."

Meg finished and was silent. By now she was prepared for death. If it had to come, she wished he would hurry up. Sweat beaded on her brow…for whatever reason she was beginning to feel very hot, despite the cool damp air of the cave.

The Phantom was silent, contemplating. Then he seemed to calm, accepting her explanation.

"Perhaps that is so; but you can never see light again. I have no wish to kill you, I have never killed a woman and do not want to start. However, try to escape and I will be forced to."

The Phantom stalked over to the fire, and then went to the left side of it, pushing aside a curtain that covered the entrance to another room.

"You can stay in this room. I have enough extra blankets and pillows to make a sufficient bed, you should be comfortable. You are required to leave me alone, I do not want my solitude to be interrupted."

Meg tentatively stepped forward.

"…You won't kill me? Or do anything…..worse?" The implied question of rape hung in the air, and a cold rage once again came over the Phantom.

"I have more honor than that! How dare you imply…!" He growled.

"Well excuse me for wondering, because I just happened to be NAKED when I woke up!" Meg yelled back, inwardly regretting the words instantly. What was she doing, inciting a man to anger who had just told her he would let her live, but not to long ago was ready to let her die? She took a step back, catching her balance before she fell. She kept on getting hotter and hotter, and it was getting difficult to stand steady.

"If I didn't take those damp clothes off you, you would have died of hypothermia!" He said, in a quiet, but forceful voice.

Meg was shocked into silence.

"Nothing to say now? What were you saying about me not being so smart? Whereas YOU do not even know the least thing about your own body! You would have died in this cave if not for me, and you still might if you do not hold your tongue!" He finished. Meg wobbled forward, and the Phantom glared down at her.

Meg silently untied the mask from her belt, and handed it to him, looking directly into his eyes again.

"For my saving my life. Thank you." She said simply, and without another word, she stumbled into the room he had indicated, and collapsed on the makeshift bed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So what do you all think? I won't continue this story unless I get reviews, so if you like it tell me!


	2. Phantoms of the Past

I hadn't specified before, but while this is based on the movie phantom, there is also influence from Susan Kay's book "Phantom" in order to give the Phantom's character more depth :-)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angel of Grey

Chapter two: Phantoms of the Past

Meg crept silently down the halls of the bottom level of the opera house. She turned the corner and approached a single, dusty door. It had the look of being unused for a long time, yet the handle was clean, as if I was opened from time to time. Meg fished a hairpin out of her hair and picked the lock of the door, slipping in and gently closing the door behind her. It was an abandoned, empty room. Inside was only a single mirror on the wall next to a short bar. It was probably the smallest practice room in the entire place…that most likely being the reason it wasn't used.

Her mother didn't know about it (and a good thing too, because Meg would be caught in the rather embarrassing situation of explaining exactly where she learned to pick a lock) and neither did all of the other girls. It was the only place she could go where she would be guaranteed to be left alone. Where she could practice, and not be laughed at when she fell.

She would always come here to get extra practice. When all the girls were taking their breaks, eating, even sleeping she would come up here and keep on practicing.

She was already warm from the practice she had just left, so she was able to go straight to dance. She started, as always, with the things she knew she could do well, to get a good flow. A delicate hand movement, a flourish; twirling across the floor, pleased with herself that she had mastered the art of keeping her eyes ahead and thus not becoming dizzy. She stopped suddenly, and posed on her tip toes, trying her best to keep her balance. The sudden stop to frozen motion made it extra difficult to find balance, but she managed this time, only wobbling a little.

She came down from the pose and sighed. Now she had to try some of the leaps. Finding her balance after the leaps was always her biggest setback. She drew herself together, stood tall, then launched across the room, readying for the leap, then…She was in the air.

She landed on one foot like she was supposed to…she almost had it, then her back leg threw her off balance and she fell backwards, falling straight on her butt. She bit back a cry of frustration and pain, and got up again.

She tried it again, and again and again. Each time she did a little better, but in the end each time her bottom once again found the floor.

"This floor and my behind are coming very well aquainted…" she muttered, and pushed herself up for what had to be the millionth time that day. A pain shot up her leg and she cursed. She had pulled a muscle, and badly. She couldn't keep on practicing today without risking injury…and she would have to practice tomorrow with the girls…and somehow make it through with not showing the least sign of pain. Mother would know she was practicing outside of class if she saw Meg had pulled a muscle…because Madame Giry always knew exactly how far she pushed her students…and she never pushed them far enough to be leaving each practice with pulled muscles. She sat down, and rubbed it, lost in thought, so tired that she wondered how she would find the energy to get up and drag herself to bed.

Meg limped out the door and locked it behind her carefully. As she walked along the hall, she heard an echo, like the step of someone behind her. She twirled around to see a dark shape stalking towards her. It grabbed her and slammed her against the wall, slapping her. It's breath stunk, and it breathed heavily upon her.

"Didn't I tell ya you an' your mother couldn't get away from me? Never, never, you will always belong to me!"

"No…no father let me go! Let me go!"

"LET ME GO!" Meg screamed as she awoke in the in dusty old room…she had dozed off. She got up, and stumbled out of the room, hastily locking it behind her, still breathing heavily as her panicked heart beat against her chest.

The beating of her heart awoke her from the dream within a dream…a memory of a dream past. She wiped her sweating brow, and sighed. She hadn't had the Dream for a long time now…being reminded of it now didn't make her situation any better. She shuddered, and blinked away the tears in her eyes. She wouldn't have it, she didn't have to take it. She would force her mind to forget it. She tried to calm herself, to stop shaking. She was still hot…heat seemed to radiate off of her, and her throat was sore. She cursed silently…she was sick. She shook her head, and then noticed for the first time that next to her bed was a glass of water…and a small vial of something sickly green and not tasty looking at all. Next to it was a small note…

Drink this with all the water. It will help your fever…and induce a dreamless sleep.

She looked at it with caution, but picked it up. If he had wanted to kill her surely he would have done so by now…it couldn't be posion. She looked at it incredulously, tilting the container and watching the substance ooze to one side.

"Bottoms up." She muttered, and downed it in one gulp.

"BLAGH!" She cried, and hastily gulped down the water to wash the taste from her mouth and to keep herself from throwing it back up. The taste was terrible…but it seemed to be working, even so soon.

As she felt sleep slowly take over…she thought about the last part of the note about dreamless sleep. He must have heard her tossing in her sleep…did he really care about her comfort that much?

She shook her head…no, she must have just been really loud. She could just see the phantom with his fingers in his ears muttering darkly. She giggled unexpectedly, at the picture of such a serious figure doing something as absurd as plugging his ears with his fingers. She sighed, amazed she could even giggle at a time like this. She was contemplating what she could possibly do to stay sane in this cage of earth when she drifted into sleep.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The flames reflected in Erik's eyes as he contemplated the fire. He once more wore his mask, and a wig he had found in his stores. His thoughts were in a complete turmoil. He couldn't bring himself to kill the girl…if not for the sake that she was female, then because she was Christine's closest friend.

Yes, he had recognized her, the instant he found her crumpled at his doorstep. It was originally the only thing that kept him from dumping her unconscious form in the water in a rage at being discovered.

The little dancer girl. He had remembered, before Christine had come he had taken some interest in her; she always was alone, the other girls didn't socialize with her. She had an intense determination about her; but the girl's voice was much too sweet, too weak. Not like Christine's, whose voice was strong and rich, filled with deep undertones and innocent seduction. No, he had quickly put her from his mind, and saw little use for her except to keep his Christine company.

But now he was faced with the disturbing consequence of having a constant reminder of his failure with Christine living with him.

He sighed, as he remembered the determined fire in her eyes. That was what worried him the most. He could hardly believe she made it across the lake without a boat…and even weak after her journey she still had enough in her to dare raise her voice to him. She knew very well when she did so she risked her life. Either she had a complete disregard for her life…or she did not fear him.

No, she did fear. Through her determined fire he saw a flicker of fear, yet she didn't look away, didn't even flinch in the presence of his face, or his anger. It was a first in his book, and he couldn't deny he was slightly intrigued. He wondered idly if he could simply charm her into subservience with his voice, as he always was able to with many before; but somehow he knew that she would die before she let him succeed. In any case, if she was smart she would keep away from him, and hopefully he could be left alone.

A murmur from the other room broke his reverie. It seemed the girl was tossing and turning in her sleep. No doubt lost in terrible nightmares of her dark fate. He got up and went into her room. The girl was tangled in the blankets, sweat all over her body. Tossing and turned, her brows scrunched together…she was muttering something.

"No….leave me alone…no…"

Erik's gaze turned cold. She was probably lost in nightmares in which the evil Phantom of the Opera would torture her in such ways that death would be merciful in comparison. He was about to leave when she muttered,

"No…father…let me go…"

Father? He sighed and bent down, feeling her head. She had a terrible fever, and the nightmares weren't helping her health. If she kept on like this she could become seriously injured.

He got up and headed out to the main room, going to his storage crates, and got out the crate filled with the remedies he had mixed himself…some that he had created. He had something for everything in this box, except the maladies of the mind. He picked one out and brought it to her room, stopping to fill a glass with water and write a quite note with directions. He didn't half understand why he was bothering to do this, after all if he let her die of this fever his problems would be solved. Yet he knew that allowing her to die would be the same as eliminating her any other way. His accursed love of Christine and his respect of female life still stayed his hand.

"LET ME GO!" she screamed, so loud he was afraid the people in the streets hundreds of feet above could hear. He ran in the room to see her whole body was tensed, and she looked like she was ready to fight. He placed the items by her bed, and sung a short, wordless tune. Her brow smoothed and she relaxed. He left just as she was coming up from the grips of sleep.

He sat down on the edge of his bed, feeling particularly annoyed at himself, at the situation, everything.

"Erik, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" He muttered to himself. This girl was complicating everything. If it had been one of those crazed idiots after him he could have eliminated the problem immediately.

He heard a cry of disgust from the other room and chuckled to himself for the first time in years. The medicine was effective, but not the most pleasant.

He stopped suddenly, disturbed that he could even find amusement in a time like this. This girl changed everything. Things were not completely under his control any more, and that annoyed him, to say the least.

He wouldn't have to be thinking about the future right now if not for her. For he left the mask for a reason…he hadn't intended on living.

Damn it all, he had a reason to continue to exist, and he hated her for it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know, I know, how in the world are they supposed to get together if he hates her and she's mad at him? Well that's what makes it interesting!

Thanks for all the reviews so far! I wasn't sure if I was going to continue this, but because of the response I will :-). Keep the reviews up though, I'm open to suggestions and everything…I might even take your advice if it is good enough :-)

From now on I will try to stick to a schedule of updating every Friday or Saturday (starting next week), and since I am a benevolent writer they will always be nice and long chapters (longer than this one…this was a bit of a short chapter)


	3. Mind's Maze

Angel of Grey

Chapter three: Mind's Maze

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg's mind slowly made it's way to consciousness. She fought it. It would be so much nicer to simply stay asleep, where there was nothing but the warm comfort of soft blankets and the welcoming oblivion of unconsciousness.

Nevertheless, her mind knew she was hungry, and thus drove her rather forcefully into wakefulness with the loudest growl she had ever heard come from her. She propped herself up, annoyed.

"You'd think there was a lion in my stomach for all the noise it's making right now!" Meg grumbled to herself.

She was wondering how she would approach the phantom for food when she sat up fully, and saw by her bed another cup of simple broth, but also some strips of dried beef and fruit. _He really means it when he says he doesn't want me to 'interrupt his solitude'._ She thought wryly as she sipped the broth. He took care of everything so she would not have to leave the room.

As she ate she looked around her room for the first time. It was actually quite spacious. In the farthest corner there was a large bucket that obviously served as a latrine. The uneven floor was covered with a red velvet rug with gold trim, and her 'bed' was in the middle of this rug, on the only even part of the floor. Against the left wall there was a small shelf of books. And that was that…her room was very simple over all. She finished, and put the dishes to the side. She slowly stood up, and though her head pounded a little, she was happy to find that most of the pain was gone. She went over to the latrine and on closer inspection it had a seat over the bucket, and a covering. _Well, at least I don't have to live like a complete savage._ She thought. All around it were bowls of strongly scented crushed herbs. She noticed that it seemed like she had used it not long before, but she did not remember getting up to do so. She must have been so out of it she was still half asleep when she did use it…but that could mean she was asleep for a long time…days even?

In any case, she felt very refreshed, except a slight lingering heat in her cheeks and the fact that her body and cloths were sticky with old sweat. She decided she could use some exercise and did so…but most of the ballet moves she couldn't do in her room due to the uneven floor. She could only do a few actual dance moves…and a lot of plain muscle-building and balance exercises. She must have done so for hours, she got so caught up in it…and was so full of energy from sleeping for so long. She wished desperately for a flat floor so she could _move_ around, but it would not be found in that room. Perhaps, she could do so by the lake. If she remembered correctly the shore was quite flat.

Before she got that far though…the new sweat from her exercises had built up over the old sweat from her fever…and she felt like she had ten layers of scuz built up on her skin. She looked around, but saw no source of water within the room. If she wanted to bathe, or wash her cloths, she would have to go to the lake. The idea of the freezing cold water and the danger of being seen naked didn't really appeal to her, but the layer of sweat and grime on her was a strong motivator.

She cautiously pulled the curtain aside, and looked into the main room. The Phantom was asleep, sprawled in an ungainly way on his bed. It was an odd sight to see a creature of such dignity (still fully dressed in full splendor) in such a position. She slowly walked out and noted that he now wore his mask, and wig. She wondered again why he had left the mask behind in the first place, it was, after all, very much a part of his own body. She shook her head as she headed towards the lake. She would only get a headache if she tried to psycho-analyze the Phantom…and though she prided herself on being able to read a person, she knew it would take a master philosopher to truly understand him…and even then she had doubts.

She went down to the water's edge and experimentally put a finger in the water. She sighed…it was as cold, if not colder than before. She decided to wash her stockings first, avoiding the actual de-clothing of herself until it was absolutely necessary. She sighed as she rubbed them through the water in vain. She wouldn't get very far without some kind of soap.

She stopped as she felt a presence directly behind her.

"Was I not clear on the conditions of your life?" His voice said, cold as ever.

Meg got up and faced him. She was much too dirty and disgusting feeling to deal with this right now…

"So I'm supposed to sit in that room _forever_ just letting the layers of dirt build on me and my cloths! I just want to wash, and it would be nice if I could do so in private. Or did you think I was trying to escape? Where would the point be in that? There's nowhere to escape _to_!" She exclaimed, sweeping her arm over the vast lake for emphasis.

The Phantom twitched, and she wondered if she had pushed him too far; and decided she didn't care. She feared him, yes…she feared death too like any other sane person would, but at this point she just didn't care. She wasn't going to let that fear rule her.

"You try my patience. It would be wise if you returned to your room." He stated, arms now folded.

"No! Oh, I get it, this is some new kind of torture, isn't it? Don't let the women wash so she feels so dirty and disgusting that she just wilts away and _dies_!" Meg said, hands on her hips. Was that a slight twitch of a smile?

"Don't be so dramatic, you won't die from being _dirty_." He said, exasperation in his voice.

"I would think that a man of your neatness would appreciate the need to bathe." Meg stated sharply.

The Phantom looked like he was about to say something scathing to her…but then seemed to change his mind.

"Don't use the lake, the water is stagnant…it once flowed from an underground spring but it was cut off a long time ago. I will show you where a fresh underground river flows, you may bathe there."

As if reading her mind he added, "Don't worry, it is out of the way, away from the eyes of this lustful monster you make me out to be."

Meg decided that was best left without a reply and silently accepted the bar of soap and towel he offered her. He took two candles from the main room and led her along the lake shore for a short time, then down a tunnel to a small opening about as long as she was tall where the river flowed out from under the rock and then promptly disappeared back under the rock on the opposite side.

The Phantom placed a candle by the water's edge and moved to leave.

"Thank you." Meg said. The Phantom just grumbled and walked off.

Meg quickly set to the task of removing her grimy cloths, and immersing them in the water, then scrubbing them with the soap. After she was done she set them aside and with a deep breath plunged into the water.

The river was freezing cold, but the current was mercifully gentle. She quickly worked soap suds through her hair and then over her body, being thorough, but not taking the usual relish she would take with her warm baths. She immersed herself fully then stepped out, vigorously rubbing herself dry with the towel. Wrapping the big fluffy towel around her she then realized that her clothes were still sopping wet. She cursed to herself and wondered what she could do. Her options were to strut in there with nothing but a towel around her naked form or to put on the wet cloths, a very unpleasant idea.

She was about to just give in and try to worm her way into her wet cloths when she noticed a pile of clothing towards the end of the tunnel. She ran over to it, completely certain they were not there before. Had he returned with clothes, knowing she would run into this dilemma?

She couldn't help but think that was actually thoughtful of him as she pulled on the black pants and simple button-up shirt. They were obviously his…the shirt was too big and the pants too long, but they were dry and surprisingly warm.

She gathered up her wet clothes and balled them up, wrapping them in the towel so she could carry them without getting wet herself. As she approached the main chamber she heard a sound echoing off the walls. He was singing again. But before she got any closer he seemed to hear her approach and song abruptly ended.

When she entered the room, he seemed ruffled, but otherwise prepared for her entry. For the first time she noticed just how deep-set his eyes were, and the lines under them were pronounced as if he did not know sleep. He said nothing when she hung her wet cloths by the fire to dry, but kept his eyes on her.

"If you expect me to do something drastic like point something sharp at you and demand that you somehow get me out of here you'll be staring at me for a long time." Meg said dryly as she shook out her stockings and hung them with the rest of her cloths. When she turned to face him she saw annoyance in his eyes, but also the spark of something else she couldn't place. It was like…he saw a challenge.

"Be careful what you say, my dear. Or next time you forget to ask for a change of cloths I will let you walk back naked."

"I see you have a sense of humor." Meg said, with a raised eyebrow.

"That," he said, "Was not a joke."

"I should have figured." Meg said with a sigh, and began to braid her wet hair to get it out of her face.

"You should return to your room." He said, turning away from her to face the fire.

"I'm cold, and there is no fire in there. I implore your eminence to bear my prescience a bit longer and allow me to share the warmth of your fire." Meg said with a over-flourished bow.

The Phantom growled.

"_Your_ so called 'sense of humor' is going to get you killed." He warned.

"Your lack of a sense of humor is going to kill us both." Meg said curtly, and sat close to the fire, warming her hands.

"You are overstepping your bounds, girl."

"I have a name. It's Meg." She said, not looking at him.

"Girl," he said through gritted teeth, "You had best be quiet and do as you are told. You are not here because I want you to be, you are here simply because I was merciful, a trait, I might add, that is not one that I normally hold dear."

Meg could see that she was reaching a point where she should stop pushing…and perhaps try reason.

"Look, I will be quiet. I only want to warm up for ten minutes, and then return to my room. It isn't as if I'm asking to share this room with you all the time, just ten minutes, then I'm out of your hair."

"Fine; but if you speak I swear to you that you will regret it." The Phantom said, and with that, turned away from her and sat on his bed. Meg sighed.

What was she going to _do_? She couldn't escape because she knew she wouldn't get very far before the Phantom found her…and even then, that was still going on the chance that there even _was_ another way out.

And the there was all the other, more mundane worries. Like, what would she do to keep herself occupied? How could she live without human interaction…sure, there was the Phantom, but he seemed to look upon interaction as a sin. Not to mention she also wondered about how long the food would last….he had what looked like around 50 crates stacked up over at the far end of the room, but eventually, even if it took years, it would run out. What then? And his storage of wood as well. Soon there would be no way to heat the chamber.

She looked up at the phantom, who was simply staring at nothing. What did he do to occupy his time? Did he always just stare at the wall when she was inside her room…or was he simply doing it now to be as boring as he could possibly manage, as a further deterrent to conversation?

No, he seemed lost in thought. She shivered. He was probably lost in the maze of his own mind. The warmth of the fire was very comforting, and was beginning to allow her mind to stop thinking of such troubling things. She was exhausted from the exercises earlier that day (or night? She couldn't tell) and she drifted off.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_You don't understand! You _can't_ understand! All you are is a silly, stupid woman!" _

_The sound of a slap, followed by the sound of a much heavier blow._

"_How dare you hit me!" A deep, angry voice._

_Her voice, tainted with pain but still defiant,"How dare _you_ call me stupid! I understand better than you may think, but you just never let me _in_ !"_

"_I shouldn't have to let you in. You have no place, your place is to simply do as I tell you!"_

"_Is that really all you want? Nothing more? An obedient wife with no personality, no soul!"_

"_What I want is for you to stop trying to constantly get into my head! I'm warning you to stop now. It won't work, and that is final!"_

_Stomping, a slammed door. It was safe to come down now._

_Meg crept silently out of her room, and made her way down the stairs as quietly as she could. Down in the main room her mother knelt on the floor, her head in her hands, too distraught to even cry. Meg, barely four years old, had a hard time understanding why. Her dad had gotten home from his job about ten minutes ago. He was an architect, and he spent most of his days away, building. When he was home he was always hunched over a new design, a new pet project, or a new commission. He never had time for Meg…and the time he had for her mother did not seem to be worthwhile. They spent it fighting…and hurting each other._

"_Meg? Meg is that you? Go back upstairs. Go to bed." Her mothers voice, had lost it's defiance and was replaced with a hopeless tone._

"_Why, mom? I don't understand." Meg said, sitting next to her mom. Her mother, looking into her daughters pleading eyes, found that she had not the strength to send her daughter away. Instead she spoke, halfway to her…and halfway to herself._

"_You see…your father is a genius. Some say there is a fine line between genius and madness…others say there is no distinction between the two. I believe that the mind of a genius is much like a maze filled with insights, ideas, pitfalls and self-truths…it has no way in or out, and it is the man who paces forever within the confines of his own mind, always lost, yet in a constant state of discovery. Always hoping to find the way out, the way to true understanding, happiness, and beauty yet never able to find it._

_In the best cases he reaches out and uses the things he finds within himself for good. Others despair, when they find the truths about themselves they can't face; that is your father. The maze tires him and the things inside it overwhelms him. Maybe if he would let me in he wouldn't have to pace those endless halls alone…but that is not the way it is meant to be."_

"_Oh." Meg said, not understanding._

"_Oh Meg, I am sorry. I know it is hard for such a little girl to understand. Do not worry, little one. We will go from here, to a place of eternal dance and song…how does that sound?"_

"_I like to dance." Meg said with a smile. With her daughter's smile, Madame Giry felt hope return to her. They would start anew. _

"_Meg, pack your things. When your father leaves tomorrow we will go."_

"_Okay, mama." Meg said, and kissed her on the cheek, before she ran back upstairs._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg awoke with a start, to someone shaking her. She looked up to see the Phantom looming over her.

"I do believe it has been a bit more than ten minutes." he said, a slight hint of annoyance in his tone, but nothing more.

"I'm sorry…I was tired." She said simply…she was too lost in thought to argue with him right now. The memory made her think…she didn't understand what her mother had said then…but she did now. She looked at the Phantom. Was he simply another man, behind the mask…stuck alone in his own mind's maze?

"Then go to your bed." He said, and in a surprisingly gentle way led her to her room. Before he left, Meg asked,

"Is it okay if I know your name?"

"Why would you want to know my name?" He asked with a sigh.

"Because you know my name…and so when I think about you I don't have to label you the "phantom"."

"I am the Phantom. It is what I am, and what I will always be." He replied, and turned to go.

"I know…I just…I don't know, never mind." For some reason she felt disappointed, and sleep was pulling at her again, so she lay down, turning her back to him. She heard a sigh, and then,

"Erik. Once, I was called Erik."

It was the last thing she heard before she fell asleep once more.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, what do you all think? The plot thickens J. Like the witty repartee between those two? Anyway, being that there are 65 hits on the second chapter, I know there are more people out there reading and not reveiwing, so speak up if you haven't already, it depresses me when only a few of you reveiw, and depression is no good for writing! You don't want me to stop being inspired to do this, right? Tell me what you think so far, I love hearing your opinions and thoughts! Your reviews are my inspiration to write more!


	4. Despair's Dance

Angel of Grey

Chapter four: Despair's Dance

Meg stretched with a yawn, and noticed yet again a plate of dried fruit, but this time it was accompanied by fish. It was steaming hot, and obviously very fresh. As she took a bite she wondered exactly how the Phantom knew when she was going to wake up - in an exact enough time for her to have hot food each time she awoke. He must have put it there just as she began to wake, but she didn't se him enter or leave. The Phantom…No…Erik. She remembered last night and wondered if she dreamt it. No, she couldn't have dreamt it. If she were to imagine up a name for the Phantom it would be much more elaborate than Erik…He had told her after all.

As she finished off the fish (it was simple, but good with the slight taste of herbs) and fruit she wondered why he agreed to give her his name in the end. She shook her head. Again, trying to understand him would be like trying to understand why the stars hung in the sky.

She looked over to the books, and decided to see what was on those shelves. One of her favorite pastimes was reading. Before she and her mother moved away from her father, Meg would pass her time looking at the books her father owned. Her mother made sure that her daughter was well-educated…and Meg was a bright child. She would never be a genius, but she was a quick learner…and when a child is confined to her rooms with nothing but books to keep her company, she learned to read quickly because the alternative waste away doing nothing all day. By the time she was three she could read, and understand the simple children's teaching books that her mother bought her. She couldn't fully understand her fathers books, but she would still look at them, and enjoy the diagrams and drawings of plant life, the solar system, famous buildings, and the human body.

When they moved into the Opera House she didn't have much time outside of her ballet training, but she always set aside at least an hour or two a week to study. Some of her fondest memories oddly enough was when she was too sick to practice, and she was able to sit by the fire with a hot drink and read for hours on end.

There were five shelves on the bookcase. The first two shelves were filled with books much like her father's collection, factual books filled with interesting insights on the various subjects. The third shelf down held a few of great classics of literature…poetry, and fiction. The last two shelves were packed with messily bound books all handwritten. These caught her interest the most…they held a treasure of brilliant notes and studies on everything - medicine, the human body, architecture, and…designs for inventions beyond her comprehension. She pulled all of them out, fascinated. This would keep her occupied for a while.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She was being much too quiet. A couple of days had passed and she hadn't tried to leave the room, or come to him with some ridiculous request. She slept, ate the food he brought her each morning, and seemed to be following his conditions to a perfect tee.

She had to be plotting something.

He put the book he had been studying down, and got up slowly. He would have to check on her, just to be careful. The girl had a quick wit, and wasn't as stupid as he was first led to believe, so it was best to air on the side of caution. He stood up and pulled the curtain aside just enough so he could peek in and not be noticed.

He could have walked right into the room, and she would not have noticed from the looks of the scene before him. Most of the books on the bookshelf were off the shelves, and piled around the girl who sat in the middle of her bed. She was currently hunched over a volume on medicine that he had written himself, seeming to be in deep contemplation. She obviously wasn't just _looking_ at it for fun. Her body was tense, her brow creased, her face the picture of intelligent thought and fascination.

Suddenly she laughed, and to herself muttered,

"No wonder it tasted so bad! Just look at the ingredients…he could fix it by adding a little honey and ginger…and then it wouldn't have upset my stomach so much…" Her mutterings faded off as her thoughts once again retreated to her head.

He hadn't thought of that. True, the medicine he gave her worked well, but a side effect was an upset stomach. He was genuinely surprised.

His surprise was quickly overcome by annoyance. Who said she could read _his_ scientific studies?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg looked up from the book when she heard Erik walk in.

"Ah. My benevolent benefactor. What do I owe the pleasure of your royal presence?" Meg quipped.

Erik simply clenched and unclenched his jaw, then answered in a half-growl

"It would do you well to address me with much more respect than that."

"But I thought I was." Meg answered in a mock innocent tone.

"No you are not, you - this is besides the point! What do you think you are doing reading those volumes?"

Meg looked down at the books, then back up at him.

"Is this some sort of trick question or what?" She asked, one eyebrow raised.

"No." He growled.

"Considering it's pretty obvious what I'm doing I didn't think it needed explanation! I'm holed up in here with nothing to do but read the books on that shelf. What do you expect me to do? Stare at the walls and brood all day like _you_ do?"

"I do _not_ sit around all day and brood."

"You do s-" Meg said, but was cut off by Erik,

"You have not answered my question. Why are you reading those? Why not the fiction, or the poetry?" He asked, gesturing to the only books that were still on the shelf.

"Because I find these more interesting."

"Perhaps they were not for you to read! They are personal!"

"If that was the case then why are they sitting here out in the open!"

"I…"

"Admit it, I've got you there."

"I admit to nothing."

"Well then why are those books there? You had to know I would pick them up eventually."

"I didn't think they would interest you!"

"Why? Because you think I'm a stupid girl?" Meg retorted, standing up.

"You know, I bet you don't even think that I understand these, and that I'm just looking at the diagrams and pictures, just like all the other people thought of me when they saw me studying. Just another silly, pretty blonde, pretending to study to look cute!" She added, venom in her voice.

"I wouldn't be worried about you reading them if I knew you wouldn't understand them!"

Meg opened her mouth, then closed it again, speechless. Erik walked up to her and picked up a particular volume.

"Have you read this one?"

Meg, still stunned, hesitated before she replied,

"Oh…I…no not that one." She said, as he indicated the black leather bound volume in his hand.

"Good." He said, and turned to walk out.

"I can read these?" Meg said, indicating the rest of the piles.

"Yes. If it pleases you to fill your head with this knowledge." He said with a sigh

"It does." She said, now feeling drained after her outburst.

"All of this…the ideas…some of the them I do not understand; but the ones that I do…some of this could really do good in this world." She continued, looking up at Erik.

"I have no wish to do good for a world that has turned it's back on me." Erik said, and with that stepped out of her room.

Only when he had left did Meg stop to wonder what was in that little black volume…but she didn't dare ask, knowing he probably wouldn't answer, and would only get him angry. She was lucky he didn't take away one of her few forms of entertainment.

Not to mention he complimented her. Not in the conventional sense of course…but he did. She sat down amongst the books again, and opened it back up All of these books would keep her occupied for at least another week.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next week passed with a semblance of peace. Erik brought Meg food, and she took a little time to eat before she spent the rest of the day immersed in his books. He had to admire her for her tenacity, he hadn't seen such zeal in finding knowledge since himself when he was a child.

Now, he was left alone again, in total silence.

Yet now he was faced with an interesting dilemma. The distraction of having to take care of a hostage had kept his thoughts of Christine at bay, and now they all came flooding back at once. Try as he might, he could not forget about his accursed angel.

He couldn't stop the thoughts of her in that stupid fop's arms. The thoughts of her sleeping in Raoul's arms each night, instead of his. Of her beautiful voice being _wasted_ on that sad excused for a knight on a white horse.

Days upon days of these constant thoughts had built up against him, and it was more than his mind could take. He was torn between weeping, and smashing everything in sight. So he took the third recourse. He sang.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg looked up from the last book, when she heard something odd. She got up, and pushed the curtain aside. Erik stood at the lake's edge, and a sound like nothing she had ever heard before came from him. Wordless, formless, song. Beautiful, intensely sad, it filled her, pushed out every other thought until all her mind held was empty despair. The song took more form and then words, shaky and punctuated with sobs, but still beautiful.

_Imprisoned by my angel of music, bound_

_She's ascended, leaving me underground_

_I never could have seen the betrayal in her eyes_

_Because love makes fools out of even the most wise…_

The melody had such undertones of despair, lost hope, bitterness, and hated love, that it overwhelmed her. The power of the song was magnificent, yet unbearable at the same time. She found herself drawn forward, tears streaming down her face.

She reached the shore, behind him, and she knew that he was aware of her presence, but was too lost in his song to care.

Filled with this feeling, she expressed it the only way she could.

She danced.

It was unlike any other dance she had ever done. The other dances, all so lighthearted and innocent, were not appropriate for this song. This song called for expressive, slow hand movements and tragic grace.

She got so lost in her dance, that she did not notice when Erik turned, still singing, to face her. When he stopped, she felt like strings had been cut and she fell to the ground in a heap, weeping. Erik walked up to her and took her hands, helping her up. She looked up and met his eyes, which were still wet with his tears. For a moment, she felt that she had a complete understanding of him, as she looked into his eyes and the song lingered in her mind. Then he let go of her hands and stepped away from her.

"I am sorry, my dear. I did not mean to…put this on your shoulders." He said, his voice hoarse with grief, "It is not your burden to bear."

"I…I…" Meg stuttered, but Erik hushed her; and opened his mouth to sing again.

_Meg, go back to your room; and you will forget_

_Your troubles will all fade away_

_A dreamless sleep within your head will be kept_

_And your nightmares be kept at bay_

Meg wiped her eyes dry as she felt all the emptiness and despair draining from her body, and she let herself be led to her room.

He watched as she settled in the bed, and obediently pulled the covers over her, burrowing deep in the pillows.

"Sleep, Meg. Do not dream of despair, as I do." he said, and walked out of her room.

The last thoughts in her head was that for the first time, he hadn't just called her girl…he had called her Meg.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't think things are going to be _that_ easy, they'll be fighting again in no time ;-). Again, as always, reviews are VERY MUCH appreciated!


	5. Healer

Angel of Grey

Chapter five: Healer

_Meg sat on the roof of the Opera Populair. It was another spot she liked to come to think…or to dance when it was nice enough out. The dance she did up here was not practice, because the lack of mirrors made it hard to correct all of her mistakes. No, up here was where she came to just dance…for the pure joy of expression. _

_It was spring, and the air was filled with the scent of flowers; some of the petals drifted lazily in the wind, even reaching all the way up to where she was. Meg lifted her hand, then swept it down in a graceful motion, letting it carry her whole body into a twirl as she swept it up again. She stopped and looked above at the blue sky dotted with clouds. The beautiful day filled her with the joy and freedom that the outdoors always brought to her; she had always loved nature. In the four years that she had lived in her father's house, she had been denied the outside world. All that she knew of it was what she saw outside the windows, and what she read in the books. When her mother brought her out for the first time that next morning, she had almost been overwhelmed by it. The beauty, the vitality of nature. Fresh air, trees, flowers…all of it was new to her, and it was love at first sight._

_She stopped suddenly when she heard a tiny cheep. She walked over to the source of the sound to find a baby bird laying beneath one of the statues. It looked like the bird was hurt…Perhaps it had fallen from it's nest? She looked up to find the nest nestled in the arm of the statue, and saw the mother bird, dead…with two other young there, tweeting incessantly, not understanding that their mother was no longer alive. Resolutely, she gently took up the nest and the baby bird on the ground. They would not die. She wouldn't let them._

_When she told her mother, her response was to not get her hopes up; that the baby birds would die. Meg would not take that as the truth. She read all the books there were about birds, and made her own speculations; that combined with her determination made it possible to nurse them back to health. She let them back outside when they were healthy, but not long after that she found all but one dead._

_When she came crying to her mother, she comforted her as best she could._

"_Oh Meg, you do not understand. Even if you completely heal their physical wounds, they missed something very important…they had no mother bird to teach them how to hunt for their own food…or how to fly. Without someone there to teach them, they never get that important part of learning how to be a bird."_

_Meg was frustrated with her failure, but the last bird she kept as a pet. The poor thing could not fly, and she lamented that she could not teach the it to do so._

_Because sometimes she really wished that she could fly too._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Erik sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands; he was feeling terrible. Other than the fact that he hadn't slept for three days straight, he was hot, dizzy…and now more than ever his mind just wouldn't shut up.

On top of the painful thoughts of Christine and his enraged thoughts of Raoul, he now thought of Meg.

He wasn't quite sure what category those thoughts fell into because they could fit all of them, yet none of them. Pain, irritation, fascination, curiosity…

The worst of it was that his mind's unrest was causing him to make some stupid mistakes. He had left his books out in the open…including the one that had all his diagrams for the elaborate torture devices he had designed. Sure he had managed to get that away from her before she read it…but a mistake is still a mistake. He did not _make _mistakes.

He vaulted out of the bed and threw a water glass, shattering it against the nearest rock wall; then crumpled to the ground when the pounding of his head overcame him. How was he supposed to function with all these thoughts in his head? How was he supposed to survive without Christine's voice? He was loosing his mind…and his mind was all that he had ever had. It was all he ever was able to depend on, and now he didn't know if he could. He began to weep, and was glad that Meg was gone bathing. He had always prided himself on his self-restraint…and it seemed that Christine had destroyed that. He was just so tired; so tired of this face he was cursed with which didn't allow him to even live among others…that condemned him to be alone, and denied him the simple comfort of human touch.

He had never been touched in love…and very rarely had he been touched at all. Always it was in violence…or pity. The kiss he shared with Christine…he had been waiting for it his whole life; but he then realized that she would _never_ kiss him out of love. The kiss he received that night was one of pity. That was why he let her go…he did not want pity. For a time he thought he could be happy with pity…that perhaps it would even grow into love; but he knew that would not happen, and he knew he could never be satisfied with just pity. In fact, he soon grew to abhor it as much as he abhorred people's hatred of things they did not understand…

He tried to get up to go to his bed, but his head swam and he fell back on his butt. His vision was swaying back and forth and it took some time of being very still before it stopped. He growled in frustration, he didn't like when he couldn't do something he wanted to do. He got up again stubbornly, and a sharp pain throbbed in his head as his vision swam again. He took one step forward and everything went dark.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg, shivering, walked back into the main room. Though she was cold she felt better after her bath, because the chill helped clear her mind. Her nights were still filled with dreams of the past, so she could use a good distraction. She hung up her clothes, and was about to go into her room to huddle deep into her blankets when she noticed Erik was slumped in the middle of the room, very much unconscious. She went over to him, and knelt down. He was shaking, as if cold, yet there was sweat all over his face.

She shook him, but all he did was start murmuring as if caught in a nightmare. She heard Christine's name, Raoul's, and even her own name murmured in between the nonsense. He was seriously sick…she hadn't noticed anything before, but then again since that night when she danced, she had not seen much of him. He had been more hostile to her than usual, and would not even let her speak without threatening her life.

His shivering increased, and she realized she should get him up to the bed. If he kept shivering like that he would use up all of his energy…and stand less of a chance of fighting whatever sickness had come over him. She thanked her trained muscles as she was able to drag him across the floor, and lift him just enough to get him up onto the bed. She put the blankets over him and his shivering subsided, but he still tossed and turned. She sighed and sat next to his bed. The fact that Erik, usually such a light sleeper, had not even so much as opened an eye when she dragged him into bed worried her.

Then again, this could be her chance. He was in no condition to stop her…if she was to ever escape, now was the time. She looked at his creased brow, and his eyes clenched shut. He was in some terrible pain…tormented by nightmares…and even as he was trapped in his mind, his body was betraying him.

She sighed as she got up to go get his medical books…sometimes she really thought she had lost her mind.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erik was hardly able to open his eyes. He was hot, so hot…so hot he could see the heat coming off him in waves. Or were the waves in his eyes?

He groaned…he was delirious, feverish, and his head was pounding. He barely had the energy to move his head; yet somehow he had made it to his bed? No…he couldn't have. He remembered passing out before he got to his bed.

He managed to look to the side and saw Meg, a few books splayed around her, his box of remedies out. She had gotten several bottles out, and seemed to be concentrating deeply on a larger bottle in front of her. She turned to the notes, then back to the bottles. She choose one, and peered at it as she added a drop to the contents of the large bottle.

He tried to get up and she noticed the movement. She got up and headed over to him with a small bottle of blue substance, and a wet cloth in her hand.

"Don't move…you need to stay asleep to keep your energy." Meg said, running the cold damp cloth over his head.

"Meg, what do you think you're doing?" He rasped.

"Don't be idiotic. You know what I'm doing." She said.

"I warn you, do not give me something to knock me out. You will regret it."

"Oh really? And what, praytell, are you going to do about it? You haven't even the energy to sit up, no less harm me." Meg quipped as she dipped the cloth in a water basin next to his and then wrung it over his head.

He growled, then coughed because it irritated his sore throat.

Meg chuckled, and continued to wipe down his throat, and cheeks.

"It is _not_ funny." He said. Meg's face fell from one of merriment to a grave look. For the first time he noticed her eyes were lined, as if she had been awake for a couple days straight.

"No. No it isn't."

Something in her tone worried him. He tried to think, but his mind was pounding too much to allow any thought, except to say,

"Since when do you ever agree with-"

"Here drink some water." Meg said suddenly, tipping a drink into his mouth. He downed it, almost choking.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!" he sputtered, "You almost…almost…damn." He fell back, unable to say any more as sleepiness overcame him.

"You need your rest, and if I have to knock you out to do it I will. Besides you're ruining my concentration." Meg said, and turned back to her work.

Then everything went black.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Erik was once again at the spot…the spot where the girl he consoled would come to hear her Angel of Music. This was the second time...he had known she would come back. She had no choice, because once one had heard his voice they would always long to hear it again. He felt a little bad about deceiving a young girl into thinking he was an angel…yet he almost felt as if it was his duty to help her. For whatever reason the girl inspired compassion in him - a feeling he had not felt since his boyhood days for Sasha, his ageing dog._

"_Angel?" She cried out in a tremulous voice._

"_I am here." He replied._

"_Sing for me, please?" She asked, her voice eager. He obliged, and felt joy fill him when he saw her close her eyes, completely entranced by his voice. Forgetting the pain of her father's death, simply lost in the beauty of his song._

_Then, she sang with him._

_He was struck with awe, he had not known she could sing, had not known that she had a voice that could rival his own! Her voice intertwined with his so perfectly, it was almost intimate…almost like an embrace._

_For the first moment in his life he did not feel alone; for the first time he felt connected to another human being._

_When the song ended, the absence of song was deafening, unbearable. Now that he had experienced it, to be without it seemed impossible. He would have to find a way to get her to come here each day to sing with him…to sing for him._

_He would teach her. Her voice, though beautiful, was very untrained. He could teach her…_

_The memory faded, and he was sitting at his organ, singing with Christine, then 18. She came closer to him as the song intensified, and she caressed his cheek. She came closer yet, so close to him that he could feel her warm breath on his face…then she disappeared. Mobs of angry people surrounded him, prodding him with sharp sticks, and suddenly he was a child again, defenseless against their attacks, spitting, jeering, relentlessly tormenting him…too merciless to simply let him die. A slender hand reached through the mob out to him, pulling him out of the mob into her embrace. It had to be Christine, Christine saved him…_

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg rubbed her eyes, willing sleepiness not to overcome her. She had to finish this, and fast. From what she understood about his symptoms, and how quickly his condition was deteriorating, his life could be threatened. It had taken her a day to figure out which medicines did what, which medicines she needed; and another day to figure out how much of each she would need for it to all balance out without killing him. With only the help of his notes and her own wits, it had been a difficult task, but she had managed it. Two days with no sleep; two days that Erik had stayed unconscious without her help.

To be honest, she was relieved that he gained consciousness at all, it showed her that he still had some strength left in him. She put the last bit into the concoction, and suppressed a giggle. The color had turned out to be a dark brown-green, with little chunks in it. It looked like a collection of various types of human waste blended together; it probably didn't taste any better either from the way it smelled. She had to give him a dose every two hours until it ran out, which would probably take around 12 hours. Sleep was still something that she could not have.

She doubted it would be easy trying to get Erik to drink it; and the idea of having to wake him to force the stuff down his throat six times was...unappealing. Not to mention she was afraid he would refuse to take it altogether. She sighed as she waved smelling salts under his nose; she would just have to deal with it.

Eric slowly came up, but he obviously was so far gone that he couldn't even move. He looked up at her.

"Thank you…" He rasped, "I love you."

Meg almost dropped the container, and was about to stutter a response when…

"Christine, you came back to me…oh, Christine, I love you…"

Meg's heart stopped pounding and she sighed with relief…yet she could not ignore the disturbing twinge of disappointment at the back of her head. She shook her head, and pushed the thoughts aside. He was delirious. She needed to get him to drink the medicine.

"Yes, it's Christine." Meg said, wiping his sweaty forehead with the wet cloth. Erik smiled, and she felt a little guilty. She shouldn't deceive him like this, but she needed to get him to take the medicine.

"You…you're very sick and I have some medicine to give you, ok?" She said, and he nodded. He took the medicine without any complaint and soon fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Meg sighed and leaned against the bed. If the medicine worked like it was supposed to, then his fever would be the first thing to go. When that happened, she knew it wouldn't get any easier to give him the medicine…in fact, it would most probably get a lot harder. Especially if he remembered how she deceived him.

Well, at least when he was fully awake and yelling at her she wouldn't be in danger of falling asleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well you're alive, aren't you! Would you just stop yelling and lay down and take this!"

Erik sat up in his bed, still to weak to get up and walk around yet with energy enough to protest.

"It's a miracle I _am_ alive! How do I know that whatever you put in there isn't going to bring me to a slow death!" He said, glaring coldly at Meg.

"Considering you were dieing already, why in the world would I try to poison you? That seems to be a bit more effort than I would be willing to take."

"Why _else_ would you go to such lengths to concoct that vile potion of yours?" He replied coldly.

"Maybe because I was trying to help you, you stupid idiot!" Meg said. Erik's mouth hung open at the unexpected response, and Meg took that opportunity to shove the spoon in his mouth. He gagged, and swallowed it on reflex.

"How _dare_ you!" He spat.

"It's for your own good!"

"Why do you care!"

"You know, I don't know. Here, let me get that poison I was making, I think I'm beginning to change my mind about keeping you alive!"

"Why poison me more? So I die faster?"

"Maybe if I'm merciful I'll just sew your mouth shut!" Meg said through clenched teeth, wishing the sedative in the medicine would kick in.

"I _guarantee _you I _won't_ be merciful when I can move again." He growled, then fell back as sleepiness from the medicine overcame him.

"Right." Meg sighed and sat back again.

"One more dose and this is over. Then he'll kill me. Well. At least then I'll get some rest." She muttered to herself as she fought to stay awake.

It could be worse. He could have remembered when she lied to him about being Christine.

Her eyes got heavy and she shook her head. She couldn't fall asleep! The last dose was the most important.

"Meg, stay awake. Even if you have to talk to yourself like a crazy person you have to stay awake."

"Why am I even doing this?" She muttered to herself, "He wants to kill me, that'll be my thanks for saving his life. I should have just escaped when I had the chance. I still could…but chances are he would wake up and find me before I found the way out…and before he got sick again."

She bit back the tears that welled up in her eyes. She was fairly certain she was losing her mind. Between the mystery, the threats, and the solitude, her mind was slowly slipping away, and the worst part was that she didn't think she cared. Losing her mind would at least make this experience more bearable. Perhaps soon being almost constantly alone would no longer bother her.

She caught her eyes slipping down and she jolted herself awake. She had to stay awake no matter what; she had a hour and a half left, according to the clock propped up against the opposite wall. Soon enough she would get her sleep, alive or dead.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erik slowly came to consciousness to the sound of tired mumblings. He stayed still and listened. It was Meg…muttering to herself, likely to keep herself awake.

"…I mean, I don't understand why I feel like I have to help him so much…my sense of right and wrong? Pity? No, I don't pity him. People may have hated him wrongly before, but he has given plenty reason for them to hate now. As if he needed them to have a reason for to hate him, to fear him…a better reason than just people hating what they don't understand."

"Maybe that's why. He deserves a chance to live, not just to exist. Everyone does…" she trailed off as if falling asleep, then muttered, "…forever pacing the maze of his mind…"

"Meg…" He said. She jolted up, and turned around. Her eyes were bloodshot, it was painfully obvious she hadn't been sleeping for a very long time.

"Oh…you're awake. It's been two hours…please, just take this last dose. I don't have the energy to argue right now." Her expression was pleading, "The last dose is the most important, if you don't take it you could regress…" she explained, and he noted that there was a trace of worry in her eyes…

Worry…for him? It wasn't possible. She was had to be worried that he would argue.

He looked at her and silently took the last dose. She sighed, and lay down right where she was, and fell asleep instantly.

He threw the blankets off him and got up unsteadily, his legs stiff from days of no use. He looked at the mess of herbs and concoctions, his notes…and her own. He picked them up and was astonished at what he saw. She had studied his notes so thoroughly, had understood them so well, that she was able to diagnose what was wrong with him and balance the right amount of herbs and his own concoctions to make something perfectly suited to his problem.

She hadn't been trying to poison him, or harm him at all…she had saved his life. Not only that, but she was brilliant. Nowhere near his own intellect…but with practice, with training, she could become so much more.

He bent down and looked at her unconscious form. She breathed shallowly, but she would be fine after enough rest. He brushed the hair away from her cheek, looking at her with a newfound respect.

He suddenly felt for the first time since Christine's betrayal, that he had a purpose. He would teach her, she would learn; and she would be the best.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The plot thickens :-). Sorry this chapter was a little back and forth so much, but I felt it was neccessary to see it from both their veiws at certain points. Thank you for all those loyal readers out there who have reveiwed...as for the roughly 100 of you who don't reveiw...SHAME on you! Enjoying this without telling me :-(. I ought to send Erik after you to lasso you! In any case, as usual comments and suggestions are most welcome, and highly anticipated :-D


	6. Eternal Life

Angel of Grey

Chapter six: Eternal Life

Meg awoke, nestled comfortably in her bed. She sat up groggily and noticed a cup of warm broth next to her, a wedge of cheese, and several pieces of dried beef. The scent of food threw all her caution to the wind, and she quickly consumed most of it. She chewed a piece of cheese thoughtfully as she wondered what was going on. He had said he would kill her…and now here was probably the most generous meal he had ever brought her. She wondered too late if maybe it was poisoned…but no. That just wasn't his style.

Meg got up and stretched, shaking out her stiff limbs. She must have been asleep for a long time, because her muscles were pretty cramped up. She did some stretches, then decided to try walking into the lion's den.

She found Erik in his bed, writing furiously into one of his empty leather-bound books. When she walked in the room, he didn't seem to notice.

"You know, you walk as quietly as a cat. Anyone but me would never hear you coming." He noted suddenly, not taking his eyes off of his writing.

"R-really?" She asked, startled by the sudden unexpected sound of his voice. She had been preparing herself for insults, threats…not the casual notation she just heard now.

"Yes. I suppose that is because you are a dancer; but you are no mere dancer, there is more behind the mask you wear." He commented, finally looking up at her.

"What do you mean, my mask?" She asked, intrigued.

"You once said to me before that you hated people who just thought you were nothing more than a witless little dancer girl, yet that is the mask you wear." He looked her in the eyes, "What have you been hiding from me, my little dancer girl?"

His tone was very shrewd, and she found that she would have much preferred it if he was yelling at her now.

"What do you mean? What do I have to hide?" She asked, and Erik got up. He handed her a jumble of notes. Her notes. Some on her own paper, some scribbled in the sidelines of his own notes. All the calculations she had to do, the mixing…

"This is not usual of a girl your age, nor of a witless dancer girl. Now tell me, what have you been hiding?"

She backed away, his calm tone unnerving her. It was silky and commanding , demanding that she should only answer, and listen to him…that everything would be okay if she did. The implied power of his voice over her frightened her.

"Do you mean how I know these things? I simply study in my free time…I..I have an interest in medicine."

"Simple study and interest brought you to this knowledge? No my dear, that is not the answer I am searching for."

He suddenly began to sing, and it brought memories surging foreword. The little birds dieing in her hands, all the other animals she had helped heal…the others that did not make it; and a single memory too painful to bear…

She cried out, and began to sob, sinking to the ground.

"It is not simple interest." He said, bending down, propping her chin up so she looked at him, "It is a _passion_. It is important to you, something that is connected to you so deeply…you cannot deny it, my song brings the truth out of you."

Meg struggled free from the hypnosis of his song, and slapped him. The sound resounded across the walls and she gaped as she realized what she had done. She backed away from him, getting up and placing herself against the far wall.

Erik, still bent down on the ground, was holding his cheek and looking at her with a mixed expression of shock, anger, and respect.

"Girl, I would be very careful with your actions." He growled and slowly sat up, his gaze never leaving her. Anger rose up in her at the threat. She just saved his life, and he was threatening her!

"You hit me first! How can you not expect retaliation! I won't just sit here and take _this_!"

"What do you mean? I _never_ touched you!"

"You played with my mind like it was some sort of toy for your deranged whims! That is much worse than any physical blow could ever be."

Erik opened his mouth, then seemed to reconsider.

"You are right…I am sorry. I beg your forgiveness on this, I overstepped my bounds." He said with a short bow.

Meg sat there, gaping. This was _not_ a side of Erik she had seen before. When he looked up she found herself blushing, stammering an acceptance of the apology for lack of knowing what else to do.

He walked up to her, and handed her the book he had been writing in. The volume had been empty, and was now full.

"I want you to finish this."

"What do you mean?" She asked, forgetting her embarrassment as her curiosity took over.

"I meant just what I said. Finish it, then bring it to me when it is done." He gently ushered her into her room and walked out, refusing all attempts on further questions. When she rushed back into the main room intent on demanding answers, he was gone, as if he had disappeared the moment he had walked out of her room. She shook her head with a sigh and went back into her room, settling on her bed and setting the book down in front of her.

"What does he expect me to do, just follow his orders? What nerve he has if he truly thinks he can make me read and finish this." She muttered to herself. How was she supposed to finish something _he_ started writing anyway? She resolved herself not to so much as open the first page. It was a matter of pride…certainly he had her imprisoned here, could threaten her life…but the last freedom she had was that she could choose what to do with her free time. She wasn't about to give that up.

She sat there, wondering what she should do. What _was_ there to do…?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She was nearly through with the book, still a bit puzzled about what he wanted her to get from it. It wasn't up to par to his normal skills…she had already corrected several mistakes (they bugged her so much she couldn't just let them stay that way) and some things she had to cross out and put in completely different formulas.

Meg finally came to the last page and as she read the formula there her mouth hung open. It was only half done, but the half that was there was pure brilliance. It was going to be tough to get this one…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erik crept in her room later that night to find her sprawled over his book fast asleep, the pen on the ground and dripping ink. He pried the book out from under her and flipped through it. She had corrected every mistake it looked like. After sitting down for a while and noting each revision he found that about three quarters of the revisions were correct…but that still left a quarter of them wrong. She still had a long way to go. The last page would be what really told him though. He looked to find it nearly finished, but not quite. The progress she _had _made was still astonishing. He sighed as he put the book down. In a way, she was no better off than him with these talents…he could not use his knowledge for good because people would not accept him or what he could do…because of his scarred face. Meg on the other hand had a completely different problem all together…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_But Mama, why not? I want to be a doctor, I want to help people!" Meg cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. At ten years old she was stubborn and more than willing to throw a fit in order to get her mother to see her side of things._

"_Oh Meg, you do not understand…you -"_

"_I would be a good doctor!" she pouted. Madam Giry shook her head and led Meg to the couch to sit down._

"_I am sure you would Meg, but I need to explain something to you." Meg sniffled, but stayed silent, her eyes still shining with tears fixed on her mother's face._

"_Meg, this world is not fair, you know this." Madame Giry started. Meg nodded and looked down, sensing that where this discussion was going was not anywhere near the hopeful path she had set out for herself._

"_People expect pretty girls like you to dance or sing, they do not expect you to be a doctor. The expect men to be doctors, the older and more distinguished the better."_

"_I don't _care_ what they expect, I want to be a doctor!" Meg replied stubbornly. Madame Giry sighed, and shook her head._

"_Oh my dear, if only passions were enough to make it in this world, then I am sure you would; but the fact is that if people do not accept you then you cannot succeed. For an artist to be an artist they need patrons, for a dancer to be a dancer she needs an audience, and for a doctor to be a doctor, he needs patients. Do you understand?"_

"_No! I think that all a person needs is passion because then if everyone can sees how much passion they have they will believe!" Meg stormed off and Madame Giry sighed…it would be a hard lesson that Meg would have to learn before she gave up._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg slowly awoke again to the smells of food. She ate slowly, wondering where the book had gone. She had fallen asleep practically sprawled over it, so she knew she hadn't put it somewhere…Erik must have gotten it.

After she finished eating she put it aside and walked out into the main room. He was nowhere to be seen, but the book was out in the middle of the floor, open. She went to it to find that on certain pages things would be crossed out, or a simple "no" was written next to it. Sometimes even a vague hint on a better approach to figuring it out. It reminded her of her assignments she would get back from her mother after she had corrected them…

Was that what he was trying to do…teach her? She closed the book and stood up as something dawned on her. Why he was being civil to her…

She was becoming another proverbial Christine. She was just another project…someone he could mold to his will.

She stood, picked the book up, and considered throwing it in the fire. No, she couldn't bring herself to do that. She simply put it back on Erik's bed, a clear message that she was not going to play along.

She settled in her room, awaiting the explosion that she was near certain would take place soon.

Hours later, she was still waiting to no avail. When she walked out into the main room, Erik simply sat near the fire, writing peacefully into another blank volume. He looked up at her when she entered, not a hint of anger in his eyes.

"Soon enough you will. There is nothing for you to do down here but to learn." He said, an answer to her unspoken statement from before.

"I am not Christine." Meg said flatly. Erik looked mildly surprised.

"No, of course not. You haven't half the voice, and none of the innocent allure she had." He said in a matter of fact tone. Meg bristled, but then calmed down, noticing that he was trying to bait her. For her to respond in an angry way would humble her…but to be his equal she would have to be as cool and calm as he was.

"Of course I'm not innocent. Christine was like a child. I am not a child, and I know what you're doing. I will not be another little pet project of yours, and I know better than to give in to your enchanting." She responded, keeping her eyes steady with his. For an instant she saw a flash of anger in his eyes, then it was gone, replaced by an almost mischievous look. He saw a challenge, and he wasn't about to lose.

He got up and slowly walked towards her with the grace of a cat. She gulped as he got so close she could feel his body heat radiating off him. When she looked up into his eyes she saw fire, and when he opened his mouth she felt bliss.

He never touched her, but the song caressed her everywhere. For a moment she was content to stay and let this song fill her with wondrous bliss, and for a moment she truly understood what Christine must have gone through.

She stepped away, feeling a blush radiate off her cheeks.

_Come to me…_ He beckoned in song. She shook her head, and stepped farther back. She had to do something, something to break the spell. She wouldn't let herself be controlled like this. An idea came to her and she opened her mouth. He didn't like her voice? Then let it distract him. An old song her mother used to sing when she thought she was alone…

_The man was alone_

_And the clock struck twelve_

_Rang through his bones_

_Deep into his skull it delved_

_Trapped in his own mind's maze_

_Forever lost in a red haze_

_Of passions lost,_

_Of dreams unfulfilled_

_Bridges uncrossed_

_And hopes killed_

The song had successfully struck him to silence. She stopped, and eyed him warily. Moment ago he seemed to radiate power, and now it seemed as if he was ten times smaller.

Finally, quietly, he said, "Where did you hear that?"

"…my mother would sing it…"

"That fool of a woman…." He muttered darkly and turned away to sit on his bed.

"What? What is going on?" Meg asked, curiosity taking over her upset feelings.

"It is my song. I don't know where she heard it, but it is mine." He turned to her, "_Never_ sing it again. It is not for your lips. Besides…your voice tires me…" He said, turning away from her again.

"Sorry I'm not Christine" She spat at him.

"No you are not. You are much different than her…" He said almost thoughtfully. Then he chuckled. He actually chuckled and said, "You've more spirit. You're probably more trouble than you're worth."

"No doubt." She replied, sitting down by the fire.

"You really won't finish that book, will you." He said, looking at her. She shook her head, keeping her eyes on the fire.

"You want to. You want to learn, I can see it in your eyes. You know that I can teach you much."

"It's a dream I gave up long ago." She replied with a sigh.

"I thought you smart enough to not give up your passions." He said.

"Passion alone is not enough,"

"No my dear, passion is _everything._ It is what makes this world continue to turn. Without passion to do something, nothing would ever get done, things would never be created."

"Perhaps; but if the world rejects the very idea of you pursuing your passions you won't get very far…" She trailed off.

"Ah, but look at me. At one point I practically owned the opera house with my passion _alone_…"

"And look where it got you." She retorted, getting irritated by his persistence.

"You know, stubbornness stops being a good virtue at a point and simply gets annoying." He said, an icy glare falling into his eyes.

"Not used to not getting your way, are you?" She said sharply, and got up, heading towards her room. He got up and pinned her against the wall. Her heart started beating fast out of fear for her life…and…

"You seem to forget who is in control here. I could just kill you now."

"Y-you won't." She stammered, trying to ignore the pleasant affects the close proximity of his body was having on her, even in the midst of her fear.

"I may." He growled.

"Then you've lost your new project!" She said, letting her anger take her over. His eyes flared, and he yelled.

"Don't you understand, you _aren't_ just a project…you…"

"I'm what!" she demanded.

She sat there, as he stared down at her. She was still breathing heavily and her chest brushed against his. He backed away, as if for the first time realizing how close he was to her.

"Nothing. Just go." He said, stumbling to his bed.

"But…"

"GO!" He roared, and she fled into the room, taken aback by his sudden outburst. She sat down, and was surprised to find tears wetting her face. Why was she getting so worked up about this? She shook her head, and decided to dance to work out her frustrations. She peeked out into the main room to see Erik by the fire, brooding. She crept out as silently as she could and walked to the clearing by the lake. Erik looked up as she passed him and she dared him with her eyes to say something, to demand that she go back to her room, but he simply looked back into the fire. She sat by the lake while stretching out her muscles and watched the flickering fire light dance across it's surface. Strangely enough sitting by the lake was peaceful, and she found herself calming down.

She got up and did some simple move practices for about an hour, then sat down again contemplating the waters surface. After a while she got up and passed Erik without a word, returning to her room. She passed the time rereading another book until soon she felt sleep returning to her.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Mama, why did you choose to teach ballet?" Meg asked one day, curious._

"_Because I am too old to be a dancer, but too young to want to stop." Madame Giry answered with a smile, "I want to be able to pass on my knowledge to other people so that they can find joy in it too. That way, in a way, I live on forever through the things that I taught all of my young students, and then those students who pass on what they know to others."_

_Meg nodded, and got up. She understood. _

"_Mama, do you think I can pass on my knowledge to other people to become doctors when I am a doctor?"_

_Madame Giry shook her head with a sigh. No matter what she did, Meg always came back to the doctor issue. Poor Meg loved to dance, but even she knew that she could not dance forever. Madame Giry herself was proof of that._

"_Meg…" She started, but Meg, sensing where the conversation was going got up and walked out the door._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg slowly returned to consciousness, the memory still fresh in her mind of what her mother had told her all those years ago. To live forever through passing on knowledge…was that what Erik wanted to accomplish? Was it simply the desire to be able to leave behind something in this world that could not be extinguished by people's illogical hate? She sighed. She knew she wanted to learn…and she was beginning to feel that she could not begrudge him of that last wish. She got up and walked into the main room to find Erik still at the fire, now tending a pot of broth.

He looked up at her and their eyes met as she bent down and picked up the book. They both said nothing, but she could have sworn she saw a flicker of happiness pass through his eyes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry about the two week wait! College started up again. But for an apology I did put a little bit of yummyness between those two ;-). Still, things are gonna keep getting rougher for them, so don't be fooled. Reveiw and maybe I'll put up another update early this week!


	7. Past the point of no return

Angel of Grey

Chapter 7: Past the point of no return

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next couple of weeks went by peacefully enough. She would write in the book, and he correct it until she had gotten the entire thing. Not too many actual words were passed between the two of them until she brought the book to him the last time and he found no mistakes.

"So, what's the damage?" She asked. A slight smile crossed Erik's face as he tossed the book into the fire.

"None. It's perfect." Meg gaped at him, then at the book burning in the fire that she had worked over so feverishly for the past two weeks.

"What the hell did you do that for!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

"Watch your mouth, it isn't becoming of a lady."

" 'Hell' is a place not a swear word."

"Yes, and it is the place I will put you in if you ever say it again."

"Hell."

"Meg." He sighed.

"Yes?" Meg asked, an innocent smile on her face.

"Must you _always _try my patience?"

"Yes." She said cheerfully.

Erik growled but didn't say anything more, refusing to be baited. Meg chuckled then looked again to the book burning in the fire.

"Why _did_ you do that?"

He handed her a blank volume.

"Everything that was written in that book you now need to copy into here; and it must be as correct as that last one was or I will throw it into the fire and you will start again."

Meg gaped at him, "From memory! Are you crazy? Where do you get all these blank books and ink from to waste anyway?"

Erik just smiled and gestured to the corner of the room where there had to be at least 40 large empty books stacked up and 20 pots of ink. Meg sighed. If there was one thing she had learned in these few weeks with him was that she couldn't question his ways. If she did he would simply give her a harder task and would teach her no more until she finished that task.

The sooner she got started, the sooner she would be able to learn more…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erik readied to throw the ninth book that she had slaved over for weeks into the fire, and Meg cried out.

"What this time!"

Erik paused and looked at her "On page four, you listed a wrong ingredient"

"Which one?"

"You will have to figure that out yourself."

"That's just ONE mistake! JUST ONE! I can't believe that you would throw it out on one mistake!" She yelled.

Erik stood up, and dropped it into the fire. Meg flew over to it and attempted to grab it out before the flames reached her, but the fire leapt up and consumed it almost immediately. She yelped and jumped back, cradling her hand.

"You fool! What do you think you're doing!" Erik exclaimed, running to her side, "Let me see it." He said firmly, and gently took her hand in his.

"You're lucky." He sighed, shaking his head, "You only have a light burn." He got up and went over to his box of remedies.

"Lucky! It stings like hell!" Meg said, biting back tears.

"What did I tell you about that word?" Erik said, not turning away from the box as he rummaged around in it.

"Now is not the time for manners." Meg said through clenched teeth.

Erik found what he was looking for and turned towards her, "Ah yes, but keeping control of yourself in times of pain shows a good character. Unless you are a person of poor character…?" He said in a mocking tone. Meg snorted, and wiped away a tear so he wouldn't see. For the first time she saw him take off his gloves, and he dipped his fingers into a salve.

"Let me see it again." She reluctantly let him take her hand, resisting the urge to ask if it would hurt. He looked her in the eyes, and could have sworn that she saw a mischievous gleam meaning "this is what you get for being foolish".

"This will sting." He said simply, and he gently rubbed the salve over her burns.

Sting was probably the biggest understatement she had ever heard. It burned more than the burn itself on its own! It felt like she had decided to go and put her hand back into the fire!

Despite that she didn't cry out, not even a whimper. She was determined not to give him that satisfaction. He took some bandages and started to wrap them around her hand, and didn't look up as he started to speak.

"What do you think would have happened if you had gotten one ingredient wrong in the medicine you gave me?"

"You might have died." Meg answered with a sigh, knowing where this conversation was going.

"Then you understand why I had to throw that book in the fire." He said, and finished wrapping the bandage, tying it up gently.

"Wait 24 hours to take off the bandages. Then wash your hand in fresh water." He said. Meg rubbed her hand, which was now numb from the herbs in the salve. It was her right hand…so she would have to wait a few days now before she could begin again. It was beyond frustrating.

"Where did you learn all you know, anyway?" Meg asked, hoping to fill the time by getting information from him…perhaps a few tidbits of facts that he hadn't yet taught her. His gaze went cold, and he turned away from her.

"That is not your concern." He said. Meg was about to ask why, but then decided against it. The tone of his voice worried her…it had an undertone of threat. If she pushed the subject he would get very angry. Meg stared silently at the fire as he walked off into the dark.

She sighed and stood up. Dancing would take her mind off of this…She let herself get lost in the turns, leaps, and subtle body movements. She was so occupied she didn't notice how tired she really was until she stopped a half hour later, breathing heavily. Meg shook her head in confusion; she had awoke not more than five hours ago so why would she be so tired? Maybe it was staying up late all those nights feverishly working on the book. She got up and suddenly felt very dizzy; and stayed still until it passed.

_What was going on? _She thought as she stumbled over to the fire, slowly feeling balance return to her. Maybe it was just the cold getting to her or something. She looked up as she heard footsteps behind her to see Erik with two fish. She hadn't seen him bring any fishing equipment…did he catch him with his bare hands in that little underground river? She watched as he took the fish to the corner of the room and started to clean them.

"I do not appreciate staring." He said. Meg jumped at the sudden sound of his voice and decided not to ponder how he knew she was staring when his back was to her.

"Why would I stare at you?" She asked with a sniff, looking pointedly at the fire.

"I don't know, so far you have shown that you defy all logical explanation. Why would you stop now?" He said in the amused tone that meant he was willing to banter.

"Me? I would say that it is _you_ who defies all logical explanation," Meg said.

"I think you mean 'defies the laws of physics', my dear."

"Hah."

"You doubt me?" He asked, washing his hands in the wash basin after putting the fish on a pan.

"Oh no, I would never." Meg said innocently. Erik stood up and walked over to her.

"Reality is never what it seems, Meg." Erik said, "Close your eyes."

Meg found herself obeying, overcome with curiosity. He turned her around so her back was to him, then said.

"Open them."

She opened her eyes and the entire room was covered in rose petals, all the way to the edge of the lake! She looked at the sight in wonder, then bent down and picked up a petal, feeling it's soft velvet between her fingers. It was fresh! She brought it to her nose and smelled the scent of water, and life.

When she turned back to him, her mouth hanging open he simply smirked.

"But they're fresh…where did you get fresh roses down here? And so many? And…get them all over in just five seconds!"

"I told you, I _defy _the laws of physics. I do not follow any laws but my own." He said, and turned back to the pan of fish, placing it on the fire. Meg sat down next to the fire again, wondering.

"I _will _figure out how you did that you know." Meg said stubbornly. Erik chuckled.

"Perhaps I will teach you. I can teach you how to cheat death and things that you never could have dreamed were possible; but I will do nothing until you finish that book." He said. Meg sighed.

"Then I will start it now." She reached for her pen, but Erik grabbed her wrist before she got to it.

"No, you will not; your hand must heal. If you use it now, you could have to wait weeks before it fully heals."

Erik turned back to cooking the fish and Meg groaned. She had forgotten about her hand, especially since it was numb.

"You need sleep as well…and more vitamins in your diet. A healthy body means a healthy mind. This fish will help you gain more concentration."

So that was why he had gone fishing…that reminded her of the fact he had caught fish with no bait or equipment.

"How did you catch those fish?" She asked. Again he chuckled.

"I did not catch the fish. They came to me willingly."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Animals had always been curious about Erik since he was a child. Unfettered by such human concepts as beauty and ugliness, they came to him with no fear or reserve. In his life, the best company he had received had been from animals. Often in his wanderings on the earth stay cats or dogs would follow him, who would willingly share their heat with him on cold nights and stay by his side even in danger. Humans never would show him such loyalty, or unconditional love._

_Now he was underground, away from most animals except a single cat. This one refused to leave him, and even braved the underground against it's own instincts. She sat on his lap, purring to her heart's content as she enjoyed one of the few moments Erik stopped his work to pet her. _

_He sighed. It seemed that the only female that would ever let him close wasn't even human…_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg awoke to a strange sound, only two hours after she had fallen asleep. Not that it was strange, but that it was odd to hear that particular sound considering where she was. She got up, and walked out of her room, following the sound. She went to the water's edge and found it's source almost immediately. A white cat, it's fur soaking and grey was splayed at the water's surface, shivering. Meg cried out and ran to the poor thing, gathering it in her arms over to the fire. She took an extra shirt and rubbed the cat, taking some of the moisture away, then wrapped it up in a blanket and placed it as close to the fire as she thought was prudent. She found the pot Erik had cooked the fish in and took the scraps out, hoping to perhaps revive the cat with the smell of food.

It worked. The cat poked it's head out of the blankets immediately at the smell of fish, and grabbed it hungrily from her hand. She got more scraps and fed them slowly to the cat, making sure it ate them slowly this time so it wouldn't throw it up. After that she took the cat out of the blankets and started to rub warmth back into it's limbs. The cat sat through it as if it knew that she was only trying to help. After she had finished, Meg lay down on the bunched up blanket near the fire and the cat curled up right beside her. Before she knew it, both of them were asleep.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She woke again much later to the sound of footsteps behind her.

"Ayesha." Erik said.

Meg looked up, careful not to dirturb the sleeping cat, who was now mostly dry.

"Huh?" She said sleepily.

"The cat…it's mine. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that I am hers. I should have known that if she would follow me to the ends of the earth she would follow me down here." Ayesha looked up at the sound of his voice and got up, greeting him with a curt meow before trouncing off into the darkness.

"Oh…" Meg got up and watched Ayesha's retreating form with worry in her eyes.

"She will be back."

"But she was soaking wet and half starved when she got to me…"

"I imagine she was. Don't worry about her, she just went out to catch her own food. It's a matter of pride, you know." He said, kneeling down by the fire. Meg sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Can I take these off now?" Meg asked, indicating the bandages.

"Yes, just be gentle with your hand for the next day, and then you can continue your work." He said, and sat down. Meg carefully unwound them, wincing as she peeled off the last layer.

Her hand was looking a lot better, and was now only a slight reddish hue. Erik handed her the salve and told her to reapply a thin layer. She did so, her mouth set in a grim line determined not to show any pain, then slowly walked into her room to get back to sleep.

Erik stopped her before she reached her room. He had a look in his eyes that belayed an uncomfortable air…as if he was about to say something that he really did not want to.

"Th…thank you. For saving the cat." He said, looking away. Meg felt a blush come to her cheeks.

"You're welcome." She replied, and then hurried into her room.

Not long after she lay down she heard the haunting notes of a song. It was a sad song…one of despair and a hard past. It reminded her so much of something…no. Something told her that she shouldn't dwell on it.

Either way, the sleep she fell into was uneasy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_It was a cold day. Meg's breath rose in white puffs above her as she walked along the sidewalk at a brisk pace. It was nearing Christmas, and she had just used the little money she had been able to save to buy her mother a little something. _

_Suddenly she was pulled into an alley, and pushed against the wall. She looked up to see herself facing her father. She didn't make a sound, but her wide eyes belayed her fear._

_He looked at her with no menace in his eyes, only a question._

"_Why?"_

_Meg shook her head, not understanding._

"_You left. You both gave up." He said, tears welling up in his eyes. _

_When he spoke, she could smell alcohol on his breath._

"_I-I don't…." Meg said, looking from side to side nervously, trying and failing to find a way out._

"_Gave up. I'm trapped. I'm trapped! Help me…please…."_

"_Let me go…"_

"_You can't understand this pain, it's inside me, it's burning me up. I can't control the fire, it's going to consume me, please help me!"_

"_N-no…."_

"_Please! Tell your mother to come back, please…" He sobbed, "You're not listening, you won't help, you want the fire to consume me! Why…why….!" His grip became tighter, to the point of pain. The pain brought Meg to her senses and she brought her knee up fast, making contact between his legs. He stumbled back with a cry of pain and Meg ran as fast as she could._

_She kept running until she ran into the arms of her mother, who met her on the street._

"_Meg…what happened?" Madame Giry asked, concern in her eyes. Meg just simply sobbed,_

"_I can't help him…I can't…"_

"_Meg…"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"…Meg….MEG!" Erik yelled as he shook her. Meg awoke, looking up into his eyes, surprised to see concern.

Her eyes were wet, and she was damp all over from sweat.

"What did you dream?" He asked.

"Nothing…" She said, sitting up and wiping off her eyes. She felt like crying, but she held it back. It was bad enough he saw her like this, she wasn't about to make it worse by crying.

"That is an insult to my intelligence. It is quite obvious it was something." He said sharply.

"Maybe it's none of your business." Meg said, getting up.

"It _is _my business if it's affecting your health. How are you to learn anything if you are in this condition?"

"That's all you care about, isn't it? Here I thought it was actual concern, but you know what? That's a feeling. I forgot that I can't expect any real feeling from you. Unless of course you count _sarcasm_ as a feeling." Meg spat.

"I thought better of you Meg. I thought you would be smarter than all those close-minded idiots who assumed such things of me simply from my appearance."

"This isn't an assumption made on appearance."

Erik stepped back, remembering those fateful words that Christine said to him…that hurt him more than anything ever could.

_It's in your soul that the true distortion lies_

Not because Christine, the one he loved, said it. Not because they were words meant to hurt…but because in his heart, he knew they were true.

He walked out, without another word and Meg dropped down to her bed, tears running down her face.

Why did she say that? Even if it was true, it was cruel to say it…it was wrong. He had hurt her…and she wanted to hurt him back. He had hurt her? How? When?

When she realized the concern was merely clinical and nothing more.

She shuddered from the effort it took to stop the tears and stuff all of it back inside until she didn't feel anything but a numb indifference, and picked up the book.

She would work…and study. It was all she had now.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ooooh….I know you guys are about to really kill me. BUT every good story has at least a little angst in it! Sorry again for the two week wait, but I did make this one a bit longer for you! I should be more inspired now anyway, since in two months I get to go see POTO LIVE! Can't wait!

As always, review please! Feedback is most welcome (even if it's 'I'm going to kill you for making this happen to them!' ;) )


	8. Back into the light

Angel of Grey

Chapter 8: Back into the light

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She finished the book in record time. Fueled by the desire to keep feeling from seeping it's way back into her mind, she worked endlessly on it. Within a week she had finished, surprising even herself; what she had thought impossible was indeed possible. Not that it wasn't hard…but much easier than she would have thought. All those weeks spent writing the formulas over and over had burned them into her mind and made copying them over to a blank one simply another exercise.

When she brought the finished book to Erik, he didn't say a word to her as he checked each one, then handed it back to her. It was perfect, and he knew it.

Things came to a standstill at that point. Erik would not talk to her, and therefore no new assignment was given. When she glimpsed him he would be hunched over one thing or another, a cloud of dark agitation hovering around him. Always seeming on the verge of explosion, yet completely contained at the same time…and the whole while never opening his mouth. He only ate when he absolutely had to, and cooked for her twice a day as if doing so on some honor-bound task.

So she was simply left alone to her thoughts, as well as he. She didn't dare to venture what dark thoughts he dwelled on, for she knew to even try to comprehend his mind was like diving into a dark bottomless pit. All she knew is that now, without anything to do, she could only dwell on what had happened, and continue to have unsettling dreams.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Meg, please talk to me." Madame Giry pleaded with her daughter._

_Meg stared straight ahead, her eyes glazed over. She seemed so lost inside herself, that she may had well be in a coma; but inside, feelings and thoughts whirled and overwhelmed her…so much that she could not even begin to express them. All she could do is think about what had happened earlier that day. Moments after her mother brought her to her room she felt herself freeze up inside. She was trapped within her own mind, kept in a prison of violent feelings. She imagined this was what is was like for her father; and she couldn't help him…or…she _wouldn't_ help him. Meg was only ten, yet she understood what that meant._

_She felt one tear fall…then another; and it all came out at once. Madame Giry simply held Meg in her arms and let the poor girl cry…preparing herself for the questions that would follow._

_It was inevitable…Madame Giry had always known that one day he would find them…that he would want them back. _

"_Momma…why? Why?" Meg asked simply, her tear stained face uplifted towards Madame Giry, all the hope of the world in her eyes. If anyone could fix it her mother could…_

_Madame Giry sighed, afraid she may dissapoint her young daughter this time. The world was a hard place, and there was no way that she could tie this up neatly. The only thing she could do was try to explain._

"_Meg, your father was…and still is, an intense man. He had so many things inside him at once that he never knew what to do with them. We brought balance to him, and he hated that. He hated that he needed us to stay sane. Deep down he knew it and so he abused us…pretending to himself that he didn't need anyone but himself. He didn't want to admit it but after years apart…his growing insanity and beaten pride has allowed him to realize it. Meg, there is nothing we can do. His type never changes…if we were to go back to him he would slowly go back to the way he was."_

_Madame Giry took a deep shuddering breath, "No matter how much you may want to help…you cannot. When someone does not want the help, then any help you give them will not do any good."_

"_He wanted help…" Meg whispered._

"_No…he simply wanted his old self back. He wanted to be like he was…do not think for a moment that he wanted to change for the better. His soul is twisted beyond repair…" Madame Giry turned away to wipe her eyes. _

_Meg stared ahead. How could that be? Could someone ever truly be beyond help…forever?_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg awoke feeling slightly sick. Each day that passed brought more and more vivid dreams of her past. She slowly propped herself up and was surprised to see that there was no food by her bedside as there usually was.

She sighed as she got up, stretching out her limbs. She knew it would eventually come to this. Well, she could get food out of the stores herself.

Meg slowly stepped into the main room, and found Erik sitting on his bed, facing the wall as he wrote furiously onto a large piece of paper. He didn't show any sign of noticing her entrance, but she knew that he was aware of her presence. She walked up to the crates and went to the first open one, taking out some dried fruit and beef. Sitting in front of the fire so she could warm up, she ate slowly, careful not to upset her stomach more. It felt like she had been tossing and turning all night, and she did not feel rested at all. She almost felt temped to go to Erik's box of remedies and find something to knock herself out, but she dared not start that because she could form a dependency on it.

She looked at him to find him no longer writing but staring ahead at the wall. This had to stop…things couldn't keep going on this way.

"Erik…I'm sorry." Meg said. If he had heard her he didn't show any acknowledgement. She sighed…this wasn't going to be quite that easy. She walked up to him, got up on the bed, and sat in front of him. He did not move, but his eyes moved to rest on her.

"I should have kept my mouth shut. I went to far, and I admit that. Please, teach me more. You know we don't have anything else to do down here…"

"You should leave." He said.

"No. I'm not going back to my room, I - "

"I do not mean to your room. I mean away from here altogether."

"What do you mean…I can't get out, the entrance collapsed…"

"You fool of a girl, do you really believe I would choose a cavern with only one way in and out?"

Suddenly struck with the very real possibility of getting out, Meg was surprised to not find herself elated. She felt absolutely nothing at all. It was over…she was free to return to her world of light; she had dreamed of it all those weeks spent trapped inside the cavern and now it would finally happen.

And she didn't care.

She got up slowly, and allowed Erik to blindfold her and lead her out. About an hour later, he guided her out into fresh air. They walked about ten minutes and then Erik was simply gone. When she took off the blindfold, he had disappeared into the night.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I apologize for the extreme shortness of this chapter...I'll try to make the next chapter extra long :-P. I tried making it longer, but it kept yelling at me "PERFECT SPOT TO END NOW!" so I had to listen. Ahh the power of fanfiction. Anyway, don't worry, I'm sure Meg will worm her way back into Erik's world again ;-)


	9. In the Realm of Dreams

Angel of Grey

Chapter 9: In the Realm of Dreams

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_All the windows were dark except a single window that night. While every other child was sleeping and resting for the next busy day, Meg was wide awake in her mother's arms, crying. It had been the fourth time that week; her father was relentlessly haunting her dreams. Madame Giry looked down at her daughter in worry. Meg's eyes were lined and dark, and her body was betraying the signs of not eating. This thing was eating her from the inside, and if it kept up…_

_Madame Giry bit back a curse. How dare he! She hoped he felt vindicated now that he had his revenge. He might very well have little Meg's life, just because he couldn't let go. _

_When Meg looked up at her it took all that Madame Giry had to keep from crying. The eyes that looked up at her now were no longer the happily optimistic ones of a child - but of one aged beyond her years. Madame Giry put it from her mind, and drew herself together. Now Meg would have questions, and she would have to do her best to answer them._

"_Momma, why do I dream like this?" She asked._

"_Because - it is the only way that your mind can deal with the things stored within sometimes. Dreams are a gateway to a part of your mind that normally remains hidden. Even though it is hidden this part of your mind holds every truth about you - everything you really feel, and fear. Sometimes when this place gets too full it won't let you ignore it any more, and it comes out in dreams."_

_Meg nodded._

"_It's like when you were so nervous around that one boy you liked. You thought that you must hate him because of all the bad feelings you had around him, but then you had that dream you kissed him, didn't you?"_

_Meg nodded again, and Madame Giry was gratified to see a slight smile come to Meg's face._

"_You figured out that you liked him after that, not that it did you any good, hmm?"_

_That got a laugh from Meg, and Madame Giry inwardly sighed in relief. Now she could lead Meg back to her bed, and hopefully she would sleep a restful, dreamless sleep. She was about to get up when Meg said suddenly,_

"_Does that mean I have fear inside?"_

"_Only what your father put there; but it doesn't have to stay. You don't need to let it rule your life - your mind will work it out."_

_Meg nodded with a sigh, and allowed her mother to lead her back to bed._

_It was a battle won, but not the war. Madame Giry feared that it would be quite a war before it was finished - and she hoped with everything that she had in her that Meg came out victorious._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg awoke to sunlight streaming through the trees and playing warmly against her face as it cut through the chill of the morning. She got up, and looked into the sky with awe at the clouds and pristine blue.

Sunlight! She had forgotten how wonderful it was! She basked in it for a moment before she allowed her mind to return to her with a sigh. She hadn't gotten very far before exhaustion has taken over and she had fallen asleep on the forest floor.

She stretched her fingers upward, shaking out her stiff muscles when she noticed something pull at her finger. Around her pinky was tied a gossamer string, barely visible under the light of the rising sun. She didn't remember putting it on her finger…she must have done it without even knowing, subconsciously. She concentrated and it slowly came to her…almost absently stealing away a spool of the string, probably what Erik had used to booby trap the entrance to the cavern. When Erik had left for a moment to get her a coat she had tied it to a stalagmite and discreetly unwound the spool as Erik led her out. No doubt that she could use the string to find her way back, as long as it was as strong now as it had been when it tripped her that fateful night.

She was amazed as she looked back on this; never before had a part of her mind acted so independently from her that she didn't even remember it until now. A voice in her mind whispered to her that is was Erik, that he was affecting her. For the better or worse? Either way this subconscious act revealed one thing that took her by complete surprise. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay with Erik, to learn all that she could…even if meant forsaking the world of light.

It didn't take long before she found the cave entrance - though it was well hidden in the undergrowth and rather small. Before she went down she spent a couple hours just basking in the sun and the mild temperatures, enjoying what would undoubtedly be the last time she would see natural light in a great while.

Soon she silently departed the sun and ducked down into the darkness of the cave.

She kept her grip on the string tight as she walked slowly down. Because she didn't have a light she had to rely entirely on that string to lead her, and if she went too fast she could careen into a wall or trip.

She knew this would take hours, but as long as she was patient she would make it. As she slowly inched her way down she was reminded of her first trip down into the Phantom's lair. It was ironic that now she was going of her own free will. Instead of a desperate will to live driving her, it was now a wish to learn; to hide herself in Erik's world where there was no prejudice, simply knowledge.

She was doing ok until she suddenly came to a point where the string had been severed. She lowered herself to the ground searching desperately for the other end to no avail. She didn't know how long she searched, but she soon realized that she was not going to find that other end.

She bit back tears and wobbled up. She wasn't going to just give up. Even if the chances were against her there was still a chance that she would find the right way. She quickened her pace, which ended up to be a grave mistake.

She tripped, and tumbled down the tunnel, hitting a wall. The last thing she heard was a sickening crunch, her scream, and then she was out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She awoke to see above her the face of a concerned, yet very disturbed Erik.

"You fool. What were you thinking coming back down here?" He muttered as he continued to wind fabric around her leg. He had splinted it, and he must have given her something to numb the pain because her leg felt nothing more than a bit too cold.

"I am not a complete idiot. I used string to mark my way back…only it got severed at a point…and I panicked…"

"Not a complete idiot? Yet at the first sign of failure you panic and end up breaking your leg." He said, continuing to wind the bandage around her leg.

"If I'm a complete idiot then why not just send me away again?"

"I would send you back up there if you were in any condition to move!"

"Well, thanks to you, I am _not _in any condition to do much of anything! You're the one who sent me out in the first place. It's your fault."

"_My_ fault? You're trying to tell me this is _my_ fault! You could have had the sense to swipe a candle and match while you stole my twine, but instead you decided to gallivant around in these tunnels in the complete dark, all on the hope that this one little string would lead you back. Not even taking into account the very _possibility _of the string breaking."

"You underestimated me, admit it."

"No my dear, I am very sure that I _overestimated_ you." He said darkly.

"I guess I overestimated you too. I _thought_ you wanted to teach me, but apparently you just want to rot down here alone _forever_!" Meg yelled.

"Then perhaps I would have some peace and _quiet_!" He hissed.

"Forever is a long time to enjoy silence." Meg replied.

"If I have dealt with it my entire life, I can deal with it now." Erik said shortly as he tied the bandage off and turned away from her.

For a moment nothing was said, then without turning around, Erik asked quietly,

"Why did you forsake your world of light to come back down here?"

"It may be a world of light, but it isn't beautiful. It's a harsh light that shines on a world that won't allow me to follow my true passions, treats me like a pretty possession to be put up on a pedestal and admired. When men age they become more distinguished and respected for their accomplishments, but women age and they become useless shadows of lost beauty, taken from their pedestal to gather dust in a dark place. I know what lies in store for me as a dancer! I am not completely blind! Ten or fifteen more years at best, and then what? If I'm lucky I get to teach dance in my mother's stead…and now I might not even be able to do that…"

She looked at her leg, then looked away, ashamed of the tears welling up in her eyes. Erik simply looked at her silently, as if contemplating something. She looked up and met his eyes. He studied her for a moment…her eyes shining with unshed tears, her mouth in a determined line…

"You are serious…" He said in a wondering tone.

"Yes." Meg said.

"You truly would choose my company over the outside world…"

"Yes…" She said. He raised his hand, and lightly caressed her cheek for a moment. His hand was surprisingly soft and warm. She felt herself calm and she closed her eyes with a sigh.

"Why?"

"I want to learn more." At those words his hand dropped down slowly, and he moved to sit by the fire.

"So be it." He replied. She tried to sit up, but he walked back over to her and gently pushed her back down.

"Do not try to move. You need to stay completely immobile for a few days, then you will need to start certain types of exercises to keep your muscle strong without upsetting the bone. It should not take more than two months to heal." She nodded, and he stared into the fire.

"Do not worry Meg, your leg will heal so that you can dance again. I will see to that." He said quietly.

"Thank you." she said with a sigh.

"I do believe that you have well earned this lesson I am about to give you." Erik said with a slight smile on his face, reaching out to push her down again on reflex when she tried to get up again.

"Do not expect me to go easy on you just because your leg is broken. You will perform at top efficiency."

"Yes sir!" Meg said mockingly. Erik could not help the smirk that came to his face at that. She was the same old Meg…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That week Meg had learned more than she had ever learned in her entire life. Erik kept her mind occupied and away from thoughts of her leg by keeping her entranced with knowledge.

Despite this, no matter how much Erik was able to distract her, the fact that she had not bathed in more than a week was beginning to very much encroach upon her senses. Yet how was she going to bring this up to Erik? She couldn't possibly go on her own; but there was no way she would go with Erik.

She still needed to bathe. There was just no getting around it, she would have to ask Erik to help. Certainly there was a way to do it without being indecent. She decided to brooch the subject after that day's lesson.

"Erik?"

Erik sighed at the look on her face. She wanted something, and she knew he wasn't going to like it.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Well, it's just that it's been more than a week…and frankly I'm disgusting. I need to bathe, and I can't do it on my own." She said, looking away as a blush spread across her cheeks.

Erik was silent for a moment, then replied,

"I could heat some water and bring it to you. You should be able to manage on your own after that." He said, and got up.

When he returned he had a basin of water which he heated on the fire. Once that was done he helped her into her room and gave her soap, a towel and a washcloth.

"If you need help you can call me in, I will be in the next room."

He left and Meg slowly worked her way out of her cloths, careful not to move her leg. She was able to get most of herself clean, but she found she could not reach her legs and feet very well; it was too awkward to try to bend down without moveing her injured leg. She clothed herself from the waist up, pulled on her underwear and draped a towel over her waist. She was apprehensive, but surprised that she felt she could trust him.

When she called Erik in, he didn't say a word, but simply started the task. His hands were shaking, though he hid it well. He worked gently and slowly, keeping his eyes on the task and tactfully avoiding sensitive areas.

He finished quickly, and helped her to get her pants back on, all the while not making eye contact. He helped her to her bed, and draped the blankets over her. She felt was overwhelmed with the compassion and gentleness he had treated her with the past week. He had been so patient, so nice to her...filling her head with knowledge, carefully caring for her leg, and now this…

"Erik…"

"Yes?"

He bent down to her level, and she stroked his cheek before placing a kiss upon it.

"Thank you…"

He stood there frozen for a moment, then nodded curtly before getting up and walking from the room. She fell into a peaceful sleep, looking forward to another day filled with learning new things.

Erik's dreams were not so peaceful that night, however.

_Again he was a child in the jeering crowd, lashing out at him, spitting on him. A hand reached out to him through the crowd and pulled him out safely into her embrace. He tried to look up but he could not, all he knew was that this was his one true love…it had to be Christine._

_Then he was ripped away from her, and she from him. The crowds that surrounded him now surrounded her as well and they beat them both until they reached unconsciousness._

_He awoke still within the dream with the feeling of a warm naked body next to him. He looked to see her face but again was denied that sight. She drew herself closer to him and kissed him on the cheek._

"_My love…" She said softly, caressing him. He felt himself become painfully aware of that aching need he had so long denied…_

Yet before he could act she disappeared and he awoke with the shadow of a kiss on his cheeks and the effects the dream had on his body. He got up to see that Meg had managed to get herself into the main room and was humming happily as she heated some broth.

That girl did not know the danger she was putting herself in.

"Meg, do not ever kiss me again." He said suddenly. She jumped, and looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

He got up and walked over to her.

"You heard what I said."

Meg propped herself up, careful to balance her weight on her good leg. She had healed enough to where she could walk around with a crutch.

"I was only expressing my thankfulness…" She said, looking him in the eyes.

"That is not the proper way." He said, his mouth in a grim line.

"Why should it be a problem?" Meg asked, feeling slightly hurt at his complete aversion to her kiss.

"I do not wish to explain it to you." He replied, his tone becoming annoyed.

Meg tried to step forward but stumbled and he caught her. She looked up into his eyes, when she saw the fire there combined with the close proximity of his body to hers, it was made it all to clear what he meant. A thrill went through her body, stopping at her middle where it stayed a dull, pleasant ache. His breathing was ragged as she felt her arms almost instinctivly wrap around him, and he drew her closer to him. Her lips brushed against his and he turned away, setting her back down by the fire before he staggered away out into the cave.

Meg sat there, unsure of what had just happened. She had _wanted _to kiss him; her whole body wanted nothing more than to be as close to his as it could possibly be. She was no stranger to arousal…she had had enough encounters with boys before to understand what it was like, but never anything as intense as what she had just felt now!

For Erik…

She didn't know what she would say when he came back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, I know, you all want to kill me for yet another cliffhanger! I couldn't help it, it was just too good! But I did make this chapter extra long since the last was so short :). Don't worry, spring break this week means much time to work on it :) But hey, a little fluff and yumminess is better than none at all ;).


	10. Confrontations

Angel of Grey

Chapter ten: Confrontations

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a full day. Meg had fallen asleep, awakened, managed to get some food, and sat for hours.

Still there was no sign of Erik.

Where was he? Was he okay? Thoughts such as those ran through her head and she was amazed and slightly annoyed that not only was she attracted to him, but he was also worrying her. Not that she should be worried. She was fairly certain that he could survive through anything. Wherever he was, it was of his own free will.

She sighed and stirred the broth that she was reheating from yesterday. She knew he would be hungry when he got back considering he had been gone for so long. Perhaps she could placate him with food.

It was odd that she felt almost like she had done something far worse than simply nearly kissing him. The way he reacted made it seem like she had tried to stab him in the back; perhaps it was nearly the same thing to him. When had he ever even touched a female body? He always had those gloves on, and even during his performance in Don Juan Triumphant when he had been so close to Christine, he was so far away at the same time.

She sighed as confusing thoughts roiled around in her head. She didn't know if she loved him…if she just wanted him…or both. For all she knew it could just be a symptom of the madness that was sure to overtake her soon.

For everything she had learned from Erik, he hadn't taught her how to deal with this…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_He was in a chair in the middle of a dark room. He could not get up from the chair, as if he was cemented to it. There was a dwindling candle set next to him, it's flickering light casting eerie shadows on the walls. The shadows showed distorted images of things and monsters untold, yet nothing in the room gave evidence to what cast them._

_The soft pad of feet made him look up, and he saw Christine come towards him in a white satin dress with lace and a veil. She sang to him as she circled him just out of his reach, his ears assailed with the painfully beautiful sound._

_From the other side Meg approached in a luminescent cloud-grey gown. It clung to her curves and flared out at the bottom, swishing gracefully around her feet as she approached him. She joined Christine in the circle, dancing delicately to Christine's song._

_It was possibly the worst imaginable torture that he had ever endured. They got closer to him, Meg reached down and caressed his cheek but when he reached up to her she danced away from his hand. Christine sang to him her face inches away from his but when he reached out to her she nimbly dodged his hand, shaking her finger coyly._

_Christine's song quickly turned from the seductive torture to the sing song voice of a mocking child._

You can not have, you can not touch

What you want to possess so much

Forever chained, forever blind

Forever trapped within your mind

_Meg joined in on the song, as they both began to prance around him, their fingers reaching out to him, so close, yet always just a hair away from touching._

Eric awoke with a start, his back sore from the rocky wall face that he was leaning against. He cursed under his breath, and propped himself up.

The dreams were getting worse, and Meg was not helping that get any better. It was maddening the effect she had on his body. If there was ever one thing that he knew he could never control, it was love…and lust. Anything beyond his control had a way of gnawing at him; he was used to having a complete and utter logical reign over his body.

He knew that he had to go back eventually. He couldn't just hide in the shadows forever…even he had to eat. He sighed as he slowly made his way back.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg was drifting asleep when she heard soft footsteps approach her. When she looked up Erik stood there, his mouth in a grim line.

Meg opened her mouth but he shushed her as he sat down next to her, careful to put space between them.

"Meg, I do not know what caused the happenings last night…but it must not happen again. Whether you truly want me or not, I will not have you to satisfy my…desires."

"So is that all is was? Lust?" Meg asked quietly. Erik did not answer, only stared into the fire and Meg knew that it must be that his heart was still loyal to Christine. That she would merely be a paltry replacement for the one he truly loved.

They were silent for a while, then Erik said quietly,

"Go to bed Meg. You need your rest for tomorrow; you will be starting your leg exercises.

He helped her up and into her room and as she fell asleep she wondered at why there was this dull ache in her heart that had never been there before.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Meg sat on the roof of the Opera Populair , her arms wrapped around her knees. She didn't know what she would do. Her father had been haunting her dreams for a month now, and though she hadn't seen him since she knew the dreams would continue. She had to end this…she knew she couldn't keep going on like this._

_She got up slowly, resolved on what she had to do. She had to go to him…_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg awoke with her head throbbing. When she wobbled her way into the main room Eric was sitting by the fire. She said nothing to him as he showed her the way she would need to exercise her leg and she dutifully followed his instructions.

Little words were spoken after he gave her a blank volume and told her that her next assignment would be to accurately record everything that he had taught her that past week. He retreated into the dark and she into her room. Both of them were reluctant to speak to each other.

Meg sighed as she slaved over the book. This would only keep her occupied for a week…maybe a week and a half if she got it right the first time. Then what? She would have to talk to him again some time.

Not to mention she had to face the strange feelings within her. She didn't quite understand why she was hurt so much…she only wanted him, right? It was just that she was stuck with him so long…it couldn't be anything more than that.

She sighed…it would be a long week.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ironically enough, it took her two months to get the book right. At some points she was practically certain that she had gotten it right yet he threw it in the fire to just prolong the inevitable. He couldn't get away with that forever though, and soon it came to that point that he handed back the book with a nod.

They sat there in silence for a while, until Meg could no longer stand it.

"This is not very logical, you know. We're acting like children." She stated, not looking at him.

"Perhaps _you_ are acting the child, but I am not." He muttered.

"Oh? Then what do you call the silent treatment, or throwing perfectly correct books into the fire? Mature?"

He didn't answer, and Meg sighed loudly. She had had enough. They were going to talk about this, whether they liked it or not. With this between them they were getting nowhere, and Meg desired to continue. She stalked up to him and sat down in front of him, so he could not avoid her.

"Look, this is going to have to happen sooner or later if anything is going to get done around here! Now, we are going to talk about it, no matter how unpleasant, and just get it over with."

Erik looked up at her, his eyes unreadable. Meg sighed, and looked down.

"I know your heart still belongs to Christine, that I could never live up to her -"

She was cut off from her sentence as Erik caught her lips in a passionate kiss. When they finally parted he had her pinned to the floor, looking her in the eyes intently.

"Then what is this?" He asked, his voice hoarse, "I thought Christine was the love of my life, and now this? I don't know what to think Meg, and I'm disgusted at my mind that it could be so fickle. I don't have a category for what I feel for you Meg, but it is not what I felt for Christine…what I still feel for Christine." He sighed, and slowly got off of her as if it took every effort in the world to do so.

"That is why I cannot have you Meg. You deserve a man who can give you all of his heart…and I still love Christine."

Meg sat up. She caressed his cheek, then let her hand fall with a sigh.

"I know you're continually lost in the maze of your mind. If you ever find your way out…I'll be waiting at the other side."

She forced a smile upon her face.

"Until then, why don't we continue? I still want to learn. You know full well that I will not have a man of my own to support me, or a family to raise. This is all I have now…please give it to me."

An unreadable look passed across Erik's face, then he nodded with a sigh as he got up.

"You should start your leg exercises for today. Then, we can continue."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_The house was in complete disarray. Cloths strewn across the floor, bits of food rotting in the corners. The overhead light flickered halfheartedly, the only light in the entire room as the others were all shattered. _

_It was a complete contrast to her memories. Her father had always demanded a spotless house, one of complete order where everything had it's place. If she had so much as forgotten to put a book back when she was done he would have thrown a fit._

_Those books were on the floor now, the paper strewn everywhere as if he had ripped all the pages out in a rage and threw them about. She knelt down and picked up a piece of paper, fingering the colorful design and elegantly scripted words. All the books she had treasured as a child were now mere scraps of paper._

_How could he have done this? She folded the piece of paper and put it in her pocket absently as she stood. More importantly…was he here? Was it safe?_

_Probably not; but it was too late to turn back now. She made her way softly across the floor and almost slipped on something slippery. She looked down to see a trail of blood leading to the bathroom. She ran over there to see her father, hunched over the toilet, his face stained with blood._

"_Daddy…?" She whispered. He looked up, saw her, and cursed under his breath._

"_Meg…why now?" He gasped, wiping his face off on his sleeve. He sat back against the tub, obviously using every effort just to keep himself conscious._

"_I don't know…" She knelt down, keeping her distance from him as if his sickness could spread to her, or that he still had the energy to harm her. There was a silence between them that seemed to stretch on forever, only broken by her father's ragged breathing._

"_Why?" They both asked at the same time._

"_I don't…I don't know how to help you dad, and neither does mom! And you wouldn't let her help, you wouldn't let her in, I-"_

"_I didn't want her to get lost…" He muttered, almost to himself._

"_Lost? What do you mean?"_

"_Inside me, can't you see it? It's a maze, didn't you hear your mother?" He laughed._

"_Oh yes, I heard her that night, she's quite clever, isn't she?" He tapped his head, and nodded at her knowingly, "She has the key to get in here, did you know that? I couldn't let her in or she would have gotten lost but even though I didn't want her to get hurt I wanted her to help me. She was supposed to not listen to me, supposed to keep trying but she didn't, she just gave up on me…" Her father went into a coughing fit, and when his hands came away from his mouth they were flecked with blood. He looked up at her, his eyes holding a shrewd look that made her insides go cold._

"_Meg, you're different, aren't you? I know you are, I know you have to be, because you're like me. You're exactly like me. You understand, don't you?"_

_Meg shook her head._

"_Oh, but you are. You just don't know it yet; you don't want to start the path down the maze. You're at the very edge of it, aren't you?"_

_Meg thought of the nightmares, the times where she would sit and think…getting lost inside her own thoughts so much that she was startled when she was brought back into the real world. Was she at the edge?_

_Was she going to turn into…the man she saw before her now?_

"_No." She said quietly. Her father got up, and wiped his mouth off on his sleeve again. He suddenly seemed much better, and a lot more threatening. Meg got up and backed away._

"_Don't even try to deny it, Meg. Now go, for now. I know you will come back." and with that he walked past her and out the door of the house._

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg woke, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Had her father been right? Was she on the edge? Unwilling to walk her own mind's maze?

Then where did that put Erik?

She shook her head with a sigh. To dwell on such things right now would not do her any good.

She had lessons and leg exercises to do for that day, so she would have to put everything from her mind. She was quickly becoming an expert at it, pushing all her thoughts and feelings to the back of her mind. It was the only way that she could keep her concentration on learning.

She opened the curtain and moved her way slowly into the main room. So began another day…

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Sorry for the long wait! Finals are beginning, so it may get a bit crazy. I'll try to make the next chapter really big and juicy to make up for it ;-). Review :-D poke and prod me to ignore my homework and get that next chapter up ;-)


	11. Masks

-1Angel of Grey

Chapter 11: Masks

From that day on, things between them had a sort of guarded civility. They acted as if they were no more than good acquaintances with a simple student teacher relationship. No words were passed between them unless it had to do with the lesson, or simple things such as asking for food.

Meg found herself getting more and more lost into her studies; her life was defined by what she was learning. Everything that had happened caused her to learn at an increasingly rapid rate, and she thought that even Erik was surprised…though he would never show it. There was something else in his eyes that she couldn't quite define…it was almost concern, but there was an undertone of something else. She didn't spend much time trying to figure it out; thinking about him only led to thoughts she would rather not have.

The days passed so quickly that before she knew it, it was time to take off the bandages for good. Erik gently unwrapped them, and looked over her leg after they were off.

"It seems that your body is quite accomplished at healing quickly. It looks like everything has turned out well. Try moving it, but slowly."

Meg bent her leg, but it practically took all of her effort to do just that much. She looked up at Erik.

"It's only natural, Meg. It will take a while and a lot of exercise to get it back to normal. It's been nearly inactive in that bandage all this time, so the muscle is smaller."

Meg sighed and rubbed her leg. Compared to her healthy leg, it was completely pathetic looking. She couldn't imagine the type of work it would take to get that leg back to normal. She held back tears of frustration and looked away, ashamed with herself that she couldn't control her emotions better.

She felt his hand gently draw her head back to face him and he rolled up his sleeve, revealing an ugly scar that started below his elbow and ended on his upper arm.

"I broke my arm once…Any doctor of the time would have told me that I could never use that arm again, and for a while I believed it. Despite how well I set the bone, when I took it out of the bandage it was so weak…when I tried to play, it was a complete failure! You can't imagine the rage I felt at not being able to do something I have always done with ease. Faced with the prospect of never playing again, I kept trying, and built back my strength. You will dance again Meg, as surely as I did play again."

Meg smiled, and for a moment their eyes met. She didn't understand what she found there, but it was gone before she could think about it. Erik got up and offered her his hand.

"Come, we must start your exercises."

Meg took his hand and struggled up.

"How long until…?"

"That entirely depends upon you."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg was exhausted. She didn't know how long she had been at it, but Erik was relentless. She lost count of the times she begged to rest but he insisted she had to keep it up. Just when she thought she could not take it any more he told her that she should eat a light dinner then go to sleep. Light dinner indeed! After working her all day she was famished, and he told her to eat light!

She ignored his warnings and ate as much as she pleased, then sat by the fire to read.

"Meg -"

"I'm _not_ tired."

A slight smile played across Erik's face.

"And why do you think that is?"

Meg sighed, then in a resigned tone replied,

"Because my stomach hurts."

Erik chuckled and Meg muttered darkly,

"Don't you _dare_ say it - "

"I told you so." He said, and she could have sworn if it would not ruined his reputation for quiet dignity he would have stuck out his tongue at her.

Meg grumbled. Erik seemed to be in a rare playful mood, which meant it wouldn't just end there.

"Go on, say I'm right." He said, a smug smirk on his face.

"If I could move right now you would be _so_ dead."

"Ah, but you cannot!" He said in a sarcastically tragic voice.

"Yes, your nefarious plots of tiring me out so I cannot move to hurt you and then teasing me mercilessly have succeeded. Don't you feel special." Meg said dryly. She was _not _above sticking out her tongue however, and so it was pointed quite insolently at him.

Erik got up, and suddenly it was a lot harder to spout insults at him when he was towering above her. Not that she would let _him_ know that he was menacing when he was standing to his full height. She simply looked up to him, and smiled sweetly.

"Yes? Was there something you wanted?"

"You, in bed." He said, his hands on his hips.

"I told you, I'm not tired. Who are you, my mother?" She said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"No, much worse than that. I am the Phantom. You should know better that to cross me. I will carry you to your room yourself if I have to." He said, a false menace in his voice tinted with amusement. She took this as room to keep putting off the inevitable.

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"You wouldn't _dare_ pick me up."

"You would be surprised at what I dare to do."

"I'd like to see you try."

He heaved her over his shoulder and started carrying her into her room.

"That was a rhetorical statement!" She squealed.

"You should know better than to say anything you do not really mean around me by now." He said, and set her down.

Meg sighed. She was tired from all of that now anyway, and arguing with someone bigger and stronger than you never would turn out in your favor.

"Ok fine you win; but if my leg wasn't almost completely useless you would be in for some serious trouble." Meg said as she lay down.

"I'm sure I would." He said with a chuckle as he left the room. Meg sighed and was surprised to find a smile on her face. What had brought that on? After months of guarded civility they were suddenly playing around like two carefree children. She had liked it - and knew he did as well.

She sighed again. She still did not quite understand the nature of her feelings for Erik. Whether it was love for a mentor, a father, or something more, she did not know. She didn't even know if it fell into any of those categories. Of course she was no closer to figuring it out because for the past few months she had concentrated on _not_ thinking of it; but now that her mind was being forced to rest because of her exercises those thoughts were now impossible to ignore.

More than anything, she was simply puzzled. It wasn't like anything she had ever felt before for _anyone_. She settled down into the blankets and let those thoughts leak out of her head as she started to fall asleep.

She still couldn't help but wonder what was going on in Erik's head…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Meg." _

_Meg didn't look up, simply kept reading._

"_Meg, you haven't been going to practice for a week. You look pale, but you aren't sick. What is going on?"_

_Meg sighed. She didn't know how to tell her, nor did she want to. The only thing that it would do is cause more problems. She didn't want to hurt her mom; and telling her about this would most certainly hurt her. The only thing she would do is worry - and her mother had had more than enough worry in her lifetime._

"_Nothing. I'm just tired. It's probably the weather…"_

"_Meg, I'm not stupid. What is it? A boy?"_

_Meg said nothing, and Madame Giry sighed._

"_Meg, you know that you can talk with me about anything. When you're ready you can come to me, I won't force you. Whatever this is, don't let it interfere with your life. I expect you to come to practice tomorrow."_

_Madame Giry quietly closed the door behind her and Meg got up. _

_Looks like she would just have to work harder at hiding. She couldn't let her mom see her like this. She got up and shook out her stiff limbs._

_What about her father? What had happened that day dominated her thoughts all week. There were so many questions that were still left unanswered. _

_He was right, she would be back. _

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg's leg exercises slowed everything down. Each day was filled with them, and there was hardly any time for learning anything but the meaning of frustration. Erik was relentless…no matter how much she wanted to give in, he would not let her. Soon, she could actually feel the progress; she could stand and walk on her own.

She was sitting by the fire resting when he brought it up.

"Dance."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"But - but I - "

"You can, now do it." His eyes were stern, and she knew he would not take no for an answer. She wobbled up, and moved to a clear spot in the middle of the room. She started with some simple movements, but even those caused her pain. Everything was awkward. She tried a jump but pain shot through her leg and it buckled beneath her. She managed to land on her butt, but her entire leg was on fire from the muscle strain.

"There's no way this will ever work!" She cried out in frustration, biting back tears. Erik shook his head, and got up, offering her his hand. She took it and he helped her up.

"You know you can do it." He said calmly.

"You just saw that I can't!" She said through gritted teeth.

"Try it again."

"My leg is in a lot of pain! I can't make it work."

"Pain is simply a state of mind. Your leg is strong enough, I saw to that with your exercises."

Meg shook her head.

"Perhaps you need some inspiration." Erik said quietly and stepped away from her.

He opened his mouth and started to sing; then inexorably she began to dance.

Her leg still hurt but it was only an annoying buzz at the back of her mind. It did not matter what her leg told her; the music demanded a liquid grace and she gave it.

This time the music started happy, yet still had a subtle undercurrent of sadness that gradually got stronger as it progressed.

Before she knew it she was dancing and weaving around him, as if under a spell. When the song came to an abrupt halt she faltered and fell into his arms. She raised her eyes to his and she saw remnants of the song still shining in his eyes. Once again she felt as if in this moment, she truly understood him. This time however, the moment was not broken. Their eyes stayed locked in that silent understanding, one that needed no words; this understanding was formed from something deeper than words could describe.

"Never again will you say 'I can't'. Do not forget that with me _everything_ is possible."

Meg opened her mouth, but he shook his head slowly and put his finger gently against her mouth. Their eyes met again and they moved closer. They were inches apart when he slowly pulled away.

"You should go and eat, you need to keep up your strength." He said, his voice hoarse.

Meg sighed and gathered herself. How many times would he unravel everything only to bind it back together again more tightly than before?

Meg sat down, trying to get her breath back. Maybe it was just because of the effort it took to use her healing leg, but she had been having a lot of trouble catching her breath lately. She didn't want Erik to know though…to her it would only be showing a sign of weakness. Besides, it wasn't that bad; she could handle it.

Erik handed her a steaming bowl of soup, consisting of loads of dried vegetables and beef. It was uncharacteristic to the usual meals, which were very conservative with the vegetables and meat. She looked up and he shrugged.

"You've been looking pale lately. It's more than likely a lack of protein and vitamins; and you need every bit of strength that you can get."

Meg nodded and began to eat it. He was probably right, after all, she was using up a lot of energy.

"From now on, I want you to dance every day. I have done as much as you need for simple exercises. To build up your muscles in the way it takes to dance again you need to be dancing."

Meg nodded. In fact, maybe after she rested a few hours she would do another practice. She was eager to get back to complete health.

"Do not push yourself too hard, however." Erik said, as if reading her mind.

"I'll try." She said with a slight smile. She got up.

"I'm going to walk around for a bit…just to the river and back. That's a good easy way to warm down…"

Erik nodded and Meg grabbed a candle as she made her way out. After she was out of Erik's sight she took on a faster pace. Sure he didn't want her to overwork herself, but she knew her own limits. Soon her heart was pounding in her chest and her legs burning. She sat down on a rock to rest and tried to take a deep breath, but when she did she broke out into a fit of coughs.

She fought dizziness as she managed to stop coughing by only taking very shallow breaths. Soon her heart slowed and her breathing went back to normal, but she felt so exhausted she barely had the energy to rise and make her way back.

Before she walked into the main room she gathered herself up and put on her best mask. She didn't want Erik to know, he would only worry. It was probably nothing besides. Most likely a simple head cold, which considering her current residence would not be so odd.

She nodded to him before going into her room, and collapsed on the bed. She was asleep almost instantly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg was hiding something from him. What, he did not know, but he did know it was something of importance. Ever since that day she had danced for him she was almost always pale. He saw her when she thought he wasn't looking; her face was haggard and drawn. Whenever he asked if she was okay, she simply smiled and waved him off as if it was a completely unfounded question. After all, she was better than ever thanks to him, she would say.

He didn't know if he was the cause of this or not; but her health was declining despite his strictly enforced diet of vitamin rich foods and plenty of water. Could it be that the situation between them was causing this? That her state of mind was affecting her physically?

He didn't know, but if this kept up…

"What if she's dying?" He said to himself quietly. Like a wild bird kept in captivity…was she fading away?

If that was true, then he couldn't keep her here forever.

If she didn't get better, he would have no choice but to bring her back up to the world of light once more…and this time for good.


	12. Stained Red

-1Angel of Grey

Chapter 12: Stained Red

_Meg walked cautiously down the street that led to her father's house. She needed more questions answered, and though every instinct told her to turn back she felt she had no choice. It was either answers or madness…she couldn't let this plague her forever. Her mother had noticed her decline in health and her lackluster participation in practices even when Meg was trying her best to hide it. _

_She stepped up onto the porch, wincing as each floorboard creaked under her weight. Even her ballet trained grace couldn't make her stealthy enough to make it over that porch quietly. As she went inside she was hit by surprise as she saw the place was entirely different from the last time she had been there. Everything was neatly organized, and all the books were back in the shelves. She took one book from the case and carefully opened it. The pages that had been ripped apart or out of the book were now carefully stitched together and sewn back on. She looked over a few books to see the same on each one. The last book was missing a page…the one she had picked up and kept._

"_I looked all over the house for that piece, did you know that?"_

_Meg jumped and nearly dropped the book. She turned to face her father, who was standing at the threshold of the door, his arms crossed. If he was still sick, his body language did not betray that fact. He stood tall and intimidating._

"_I told you that you would come back. Hopefully to return that stolen page?" He said, walking closer to her. _

"_I…ah…don't have it with me…I…" Meg silently berated herself. She couldn't sound like a cowering child! She had to show confidence! _

_Meg gathered herself and squared her shoulders. She would face him without fear._

"_I want some answers." she said, and at that her father raised his eyebrows._

"_Ah, has little Meg finally grown up?"_

_Meg said nothing, simply kept a steady gaze on him. Her father chuckled._

"_What do you want to know? Ask me any question Meg, I know nearly all the answers."_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg awoke with a start, her father's voice still echoing in her ears. Her head was spinning, and she felt slightly ill. Meg looked to the side to see Erik right by her, with a worried expression on his face.

"You were talking in your sleep." Erik said, and offered her a fresh apple. Meg took it and bit into it eagerly, enjoying the tart yet sweep crisp flavor.

"How did you get this?"

"It is summer, apples do grow." He said simply, and left it at that.

"Be sure to eat that entire apple, don't let any go to waste."

Meg nodded and continued to devour the apple. He didn't need to tell her that, she was ravenous. She continued to finish the apple as he walked out of the room.

He was on to her. He knew something was wrong with her, he just didn't know what yet. She would have to try harder to hide her pain, because if she knew him he may do something drastic if he found out she could be seriously ill. The last thing she wanted was to put off her studies even more. Her leg had set her back far enough, she wouldn't tolerate anything else holding her back.

Meg got up slowly, and fought the dizziness that threatened to overcome her. She wasn't just a dancer, she was an actress. Ballet was by no means as easy as it looked. Beneath the seemingly weightless grace was a massive effort on every muscle in the body. So she was trained to hold that outer calm and grace even when it felt like her body was about to fall apart. Before, she hadn't really been trying. Now, she would have to put forth a very conscious effort to constantly keep an outer cool. It would be hard, but worth the effort.

She let her mask fall into place and ignored the dull pain in her ribs. It was time for her lesson, and she would not disappoint Erik with her performance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Why did you treat me and mom the way you did? Why couldn't we ever go outside?" Meg asked, keeping a wary distance from him.yeah_

"_I had to keep you both safe Meg, you understand. If I let either of you outside so many bad things could happen to you, and I couldn't allow that."_

"_So why did you treat us so badly?"_

"_Oh Meg, really now, can't you come up with any better questions than that? Like why the last time you saw me I was spewing blood all over the bathroom floor?"_

"_Why were you?"_

"_All in due time. I can't let you know all the answers right away, that wouldn't be any fun! Why don't you sit down? I have some tea brewing in the kitchen. We could sit a while, play some games. I remember how well you did at chess, even when you were so little." _

_Meg sat down, knowing full well that refusal would be a bad idea at this point. He seemed stable now, but who knows how long that would last. She silently berated herself for even coming here again. She should have known better! Her idiocy could get her killed._

_Her father smiled, and went into the kitchen to get the tea. Meg obediently got out the chess set, which was in the same spot it had always been as far back as she could remember._

_She would have to play his game in order to survive._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg sat down after her short practice, her heart beating frantically against her chest. Each day that passed it was getting harder and harder to do anything strenuous, even though by now her leg was in decent shape. Not only was she physically tired, but each night her dreams of memories past only got more and more intense. They were so real she felt that she was actually experiencing them again. These dreams left little room for quality sleep; she was constantly tossing and turning.

She looked to the side to see Erik at her side again.

"You're very good Meg." He said, a shrewd look on his face. Meg tried to get up, but Erik pushed her back down.

"I almost believed you. For a moment, in fact, I did. I was positive that you were getting better, but you're not."

"…What are you talking about?" Meg said with a nervous laugh.

"Oh Meg, you should know better. I know you are sick, I know you've _been_ sick. Probably even before you came to me." He sighed.

"I just don't know _what_ it is; but either way, I know that that being down here in these caves is not good for your health."

Meg looked away, afraid of what he would say next.

"What do you propose we do about it?" She asked.

"Bring you above of course. I need access to more materials and information, and you need to be in fresh air. Get up, and do it slowly."

Meg complied, knowing that in her condition she couldn't be arguing.

"I think I will be able to procure a living place for you to stay in - I still have my connections."

"Will I be left alone when you're gone?"

"Hardly. I'll just have to call a favor on an old friend."

Meg decided that she wouldn't question that, though she had a hard time believing that a man of his history could have what was called an old friend.

"Won't they find you, if you go above?"

Erik chuckled.

"You ought to know me better than that by now."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They had come in at night. Erik gave her the money, and sent her in alone. He said to mention a certain name to the . Once she was inside, she found him on the balcony, waiting for her. He was looking out over the city, his expression contemplative.

She walked up to the balcony looking out with him. Neither of them looked at each other, but both acknowledged each other's presence. Meg felt a bout of dizziness come on, but ignored it. After a moment of silence, Erik spoke.

"Meg, I need to know everything and anything that you do know about what is happening to you. Any little bit of information could be useful, and may even be the key to your treatment."

Meg looked at him, her vision clouding over. She mouthed words, but nothing came out.

Nothing ever did come out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Checkmate."_

_Her father looked up at her, an amused expression on his face._

"_Do you want to know why you lost?"_

"_Of the things I want to know, that is probably the last on the list" Meg said dryly._

_Her father chuckled._

"_Tsk tsk Meg. So impatient! Then again, you always were an impatient child."_

_He looked at her expectantly, and Meg sighed. She would have to play along, otherwise the game would not advance._

"_Why did I lose?"_

"_You spent too much time trying to protect your pieces, instead of being on the offensive. You have to make _sacrifices_ in order to win. In war even, sometimes you must sacrifice most of your men so that you can win."_

"_That's rather cold of you."_

"_That's life." He replied._

"_Life isn't fair, it never was, never will be. It's motions cannot be stopped, it's paths cannot be deterred. Even if you find yourself going down a path you do not want to, sometimes you can't turn back or find another way. More often than not, life is simply a walk down a path that leads to destruction."_

_There was a silence between them. Her father seemed to be lost in thought, and Meg knew this was now the right time to ask him what she wanted to know._

"_Why were you coughing up blood? What's wrong with you?"_

_Her father sighed, then when he looked up at her, his expression was almost one of pity._

"_It's a disease that I've had for a very long time. It incubated in my body for years, and finally now I'm seeing the symptoms. I will die soon."_

_Meg was silent, then got up. It was time to leave, and she knew it. She made her way to the door, and she was almost out when her father stopped her._

"_Meg, there's something else you should know. This disease is contagious only in a very specific way. I'm afraid that you and your mother both have it as well."_

_Meg nodded, and left. Just as she was outside the door she fell to the ground, a wave of dizziness overcoming her._

"_Meg? Meg, wake up!"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

She woke to see Erik's worried face above her. Her chest felt tight, she could hardly breathe. She motioned at her neck and he lifted her into an upright position. She felt her chest heave, and a hacking cough came from her lips. When she finally stopped she could breathe again, but Erik's face still looked worried.

She felt an odd warm wetness upon her lips, and she brought her finger up to them.

Her fingers came away stained red.


	13. Demons of the Past

-1Angel of Grey

Chapter 13: Demons of the Past

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She was surprised - although she wondered if she should be knowing Erik - the apartment that he managed to get was luxurious. Especially in comparison to underground. It was small but well furnished, and the bedroom was continually flooded with light due to the huge windows that opened to a small balcony. It smelled like summer throughout the entire place, and just being there in the light and warmth made her feel a good deal better.

The same things she reveled in, Erik seemed most uncomfortable with. Now their roles were reversed, she the one at home and he the stranger.

She told him everything. Every last detail that she could remember. He was merciless in his questioning, as even seemingly inconsequential information could be the key. He wrote everything down in a volume, and then spent nights upon night pouring over his own notes and writing furiously.

She woke up one night a bit feverish, and through a blurred gaze saw him. He was surrounded by a mess of books, papers, and notes. She suddenly felt something akin to deja-vu, she had been there before, only this time she was the one sick on the bed.

She knew quite personally how tired he had to be.

"Erik, get to sleep."

"I don't need it." He muttered.

"Yes, you do."

"Humanity has come up with far too many ways for us to prolong wakefulness for me to be tired right now." Erik said with a quirk of his good eyebrow.

"You know, caffine in large amounts isn't good for you."

"That is entirely a matter of opinion." He replied.

"Erik, if you don't go to sleep I swear I'll get up and…"

"Oh? Is that a feeble threat? What will you do, cough on me?" Erik chuckled and Meg fumed. She propped herself up and instantly Erik was there pushing her down.

"You need to keep your energy. I don't want you moving unless it is absolutely necessary. This may slow the progress of the disease. I'm fairly certain the only reason it got progressively worse was because of the increase in activity you had when exercising your leg, compounded with the chill environment of the cave."

Meg sighed. The fact was now that she had been resting for days, despite the fever she felt better. She _wanted_ to move around. Yet her Common Sense (otherwise known as Erik) insisted that she stay completely still. Meg grumbled.

"Oh all right, you can get up and do a few stretches. It should be good to get the blood flowing to your limbs again, but you are not allowed to _anything_ strenuous." Erik said in a stern tone. Meg was reminded of her mother and snorted, Erik raised an eyebrow but decided he didn't want to know.

As she was stretching Erik gathered up his things.

"How is it coming, anyway?" Meg asked.

"I have made quite a bit of progress with what I know and the information I have been able to find around here, but I still need to gather information from other sources as well. I'm also fairly certain that some of the key elements to the cure will not be found here in Paris." Erik paused, and looked away for a moment.

"What?" Meg asked apprehensively. Erik knew something that he wasn't sure if he should divulge to her, but his respect of her demanded he be truthful. He took her hand in his and held it comfortingly.

"I may be gone a long time Meg, months even. I will have to travel quite far, and it could be dangerous. My life may even be at stake. I do not tell you this that you would worry, only so that you are aware of the situation. You need not worry for me; I have perfected surviving to a fine art."

Meg nodded, ignoring the feelings that erupted within her at this statement. Erik could take care of himself, he had for his whole life.

"When will you leave?"

"Immediately after I rest. I should be gone by the time you wake up."

Meg took in a slow breath, wondering at the pain this knowledge had brought up within her. She had been with Erik for so long now, every day knowing he was there. Now, he would be gone. She looked up into Erik's eyes and saw that within them was a flood of contained emotion. To any other person they would have seen nothing but cold indifference, but Meg knew better. She slowly took the glove off his hand, and placed his hand in hers. She gently ran the fingers of her other hand over the top of his hand, amazed by how soft it was. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. She didn't want Erik to see how much this affected her, it would only make him feel worse.

She noticed at once that his hand was trembling in hers, a fine tremor that was nearly undetectable. Something wet hit her hand and she looked up to see that a single tear had trailed down his cheek. He was looking at his hand in hers, a mixture of astonishment and something else implacable in his eyes. Meg's hand was steady as she slowly brought his hand up to her lips, and kissed each knuckle, then placed his hand over her cheek. The tears that she had been before then successfully holding back began to silently fall, and Erik brushed them away, one by one.

Their eyes met, and she suddenly knew just how much this had affected Erik. He was making no attempt to mask his feelings now and there were so many there she couldn't begin to understand them all. They simply looked into each other's eyes, neither one of them knowing what the next move was but at the same time being perfectly happy to stay exactly where they were.

The reverie was broken with a sharp knock on the door. Erik got up, and at the shocked look on her face explained,

"I've been expecting someone."

She could see him gather himself up, the doors slam back shut. In an instant he was as unreadable as ever, cold and withdrawn. He walked to the door, and after looking through the peephole opened it.

"Erik, it's been a long time."

"Good to see you're doing well, Nadir."

Meg looked up at the strange man, her face still stained with tears. She wasn't as able to pull her masks up well as Erik right now.

"Erik, what have you done?" Nadir said with a sigh. Erik looked at Meg with a sigh.

"It's a long story, and I am very tired. You'll forgive me if I get to sleep. I daresay I will need my rest, I have a long night ahead of me tomorrow." Erik bowed out of the room without another word.

Meg looked up at Nadir.

"I'm not tired at all." Meg said.

"And it seems that we will have a lot of time on our hands." Nadir said, and pulled up a chair by her bed.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They discussed things most of the day. Nadir turned out to be an attentive listener, and she found it easy to tell him everything.

Night had fallen and she just finished her tale when Eric walked into the room fully dressed in a dark suit and cloak.

"I trust you have been thoroughly debriefed?" He asked, and Nadir nodded.

"I want you to take care of her while I am gone Nadir." Erik held Nadir's gaze for a moment, and then he nodded as if a silent understanding had passed between the two.

Without another word, he walked from the room.

Nadir turned to Meg.

"It seems we have much to talk about, but it is late, and you should get your rest. I told Erik that I would take care of you, and I will not go back on that promise."

"But -"

"Sleep." He said sternly.

"You're just like him." She muttered, and turned over in her bed as Nadir got up to go to his own room that was right next to hers.

He chuckled as he left, not too sure whether or not that it was meant an insult or compliment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Meg? Meg are you ok? Meg, open the door!"_

_Meg could barely move. She had run all the way home after her encounter with her father, and when she did make it to her room, she found it hard to breathe._

_It ended up she couldn't breathe so she had passed out._

_God must have been watching over her because as if by some miracle she woke, alive and breathing normally._

_Oddly enough, it wasn't herself that she was worried about. It was her mother. Her mother was just about as old as her father, and that meant that she probably would be seeing symptoms soon as well. Meg could almost come to terms with the fact that she would one day die of some disease, but not her mother. She couldn't lose her, she was all Meg had!_

_The click of a key opening a lock sounded and her mother came in. Apparently, there was more than one set of keys to Meg's room that she did not know about._

_Madame Giry came to sit on Meg's bed, and immediately felt her forehead._

"_Meg, you look so pale, and you're warm and clammy. Tell me what is going on, and don't you dare try to make something up."_

_Meg was silent for a moment. She knew that if she lied to her mother, she would know. So perhaps it would be better to tell part of the truth._

"_I went to see dad."_

"_Meg…I thought you knew better than that! Your life could have been at stake!" Madame Giry cried, and Meg just shook her head._

"_I knew what I was doing mom. He didn't try to hurt me, but he's dieing. I don't think he has long to live…"_

"_Your father is sick?" Madame Giry asked, looking away towards the window as if to hide the emotions flitting through her eyes from Meg._

"_Yes." Meg sighed, and then added, "From the looks of it he may have a month if he's lucky."_

"_What does he want from us?" Madame Giry said, more to herself than anything._

_Meg shook her head. She knew little more than her mother, and in all probability she was more confused than her to begin with._

"_I think he wants to tie things up but he doesn't know how. Mom, tell me what you know about Dad. I want to understand what is going on, but I can't."_

"_Tell you what?"_

"_Everything. Start from the beginning."_

_Madame Giry sighed._

"_I suppose you do deserve some answers."_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Meg, wake up. It's time for breakfast."

Meg groggily propped herself up. On a bed table before her was a generous helping of high protein breakfast foods.

"Be sure to eat _all_ of it too. You need every last bit of strength."

Meg groaned. Her appetite had been diminished the past few days and the idea of having to force all that food down wasn't pleasant. Still, from the stubbornly intent look that Nadir was giving her, she didn't think she had any choice in the matter.

She sighed, and started to eat. Nadir sat back, obviously a bit more relaxed now that he knew he wouldn't have to force her to eat.

They sat in silence for a while. There was no reason the two of them could not speak, but Meg was at a loss about what she _could_ say. She had told Nadir just about everything the night before, and so the ball was in his court. She was somewhat curious as to what he would say after all that. She only received a mysteriously shrewd look from him before Erik had come in and thus ending their conversation.

When she finished the meal, Nadir took the table away, and came back to sit by her.

"He is, at heart, a good man." Nadir said suddenly, and Meg looked up at him. She nodded.

"But he is what his life has made him…and his life was neither good nor easy. He made some bad choices as we all do, but his soul is not lost…yet."

The word yet hung in the air. Meg fingered the cross necklace that had been on her breast the entire time since she fell down that hole on that fateful night.

"I have prayed for him." She admitted, looking towards the window.

"But I have the feeling he wouldn't like that." she finished.

Nadir chuckled.

"No, I dare say he would not. He has qualms with God, and who can blame him? His seems to be a cursed fate."

"I think a part of him wants to be completely alone." Meg said with a sigh.

"Can you blame him for that?"

"No."

There was more silence, and Nadir simply looked at her, his face unreadable.

"You love him don't you?"

Meg looked back at him. Nadir simply gave her a searching look.

Did she love him? She remembered caring for him when he was sick. How he slowly healed her leg and refused to let her give up. How he demanded she dance, and the glorious feeling of her movements being intertwined with his song. She remembered that split second when she looked into his eyes not so long ago and all his walls were down. In that moment she saw a man who only longed for a simple life of happiness.

And she could not deny the truth.

"Yes." She said, hardly believing it herself. Nadir nodded to her.

"Then all hope is not lost for him yet."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Meg, your father is a very complex person. You see, almost his entire life he has been alone. His mother and father died when he was very young, and he spent his days moving back and forth among dilapidated orphanages. _

_The other children didn't quite know what to do with him…he was violent, easily provoked. He kept trying to make friends, but inevitably they would shy away from him because of his nature…and that would cause him to blow up at them…He didn't understand that it was his very efforts to reach out that was driving them away. And so, he withdrew within himself…spent most of his time reading, studying one thing or another._

_When he first saw me, he caught me dancing. He was so enchanted by it that from that day forward he would stop by every day to watch me dance. He would never say anything to me, just watch. Even if I was in a room with many other's practicing, when his eyes were on me I felt like the only dancer left in the world._

_One day I started talking to him, and we would get into long, deep conversations about many worldly topics, but he would never ever divulge anything about himself save his name. I would ask, but he would always ignore such inquires and if I prodded he would sometimes become angry, so I avoided that. Finally he allowed me to know one thing, that he had a disease that would eventually slowly kill him, that when people found that out they would always shun him, afraid they might catch it, though it wasn't transmitted that way. He told me not to worry because he was working on a cure. _

_He wasn't a doctor, but an architect. Since he would test these "cures" on himself, I became worried that he would harm himself. One night I came to him and he was sprawled on the floor, a beaker broken beside him and a small pool of blood at his mouth. I called the doctor immediately and told him everything, about his disease, about the fact that he was trying to concoct some cure. I was just worried for him! He looked as if he wouldn't wake up, and calling the doctor seemed like the only thing I could do. I didn't know the doctor would have the police take away his equipment for what they thought was his own safety…needless to say when he came to he was furious. Furious that I had "betrayed" him by telling the doctor, and he blamed me for the loss of his equipment. I tried to tell him I was only worried, that I hadn't meant to do this to him, but he refused to believe me._

_Yet when he calmed down, he admitted for the first time that he loved me. Soon after we were married, but once we were things changed. He never trusted me after that incident, and wouldn't share anything with me. He even seemed to resent me because of the feelings he had for me. He couldn't let me go, and he hated it. So instead of leaving me, he took it out on me in any way he could._

_It wasn't just that Meg…because of his disease, he couldn't even function in society without people treating him as some sort of leper, or a nuisance to be rid of…that sort of treatment to a person their entire life is damaging in a sort of way that lingers forever. I thought I could fix it, but I couldn't….I couldn't help him in the end…"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Meg woke up with a start, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. She looked around to see what had startled her awake but it was completely dark. She sat up and was surprised to find Nadir on the floor near her bed, broken glass surrounding him. He was breathing shallowly but obviously unconscious. She looked up towards the door her heart in her throat as she took in a dark figure.

"I thought you had gone forever, Meg"

"Dad…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Sorry again for the huge long wait for this chapter! I made it a bit longer to make up, and anyone still reading I hope you enjoy it. I had a REALLY nasty case of writers block and had no idea how to finish it, but now I do! Few more chapters in the works, and just to let you know, she doesn't have consumption, remember it was a degenerative disease passed on from her father? This could be good, or bad news…you'll see! ;) If no one reviews this, I'll just take the story off in the assumption that no one is no longer reading it, so be sure to let me know!**


	14. Reunion

-1Angel of Grey

Chapter 14: Reunion

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her father stepped out of the darkness towards her. His face was pale and ethereal, though she did not know if this was from the moonlight or his own pallor. He looked 20 years older than he did the last time she saw him, roughly a year ago. He pulled up a chair by her bed, pushing Nadir aside as if he were simply another piece of furniture.

"You seem to be doing well my dear." He said sardonically.

"You look like death itself," she spat, "what are you doing here, and what did you do to Nadir?"

"Ah, him? He'll be fine, just a scratch really. The vase, however, not so much," he said, fingering a bit of glass, "He wouldn't let me see you, and in fact denied you were even here. Heroic foolishness, an ailment common of most men. Of course I couldn't let that slide…," He looked at her, "…but I didn't come here to talk to you about that."

"I don't want to talk to you." She said darkly, looking away.

"I want to make things right Meg…"

"And how do you expect to do that?! You knew that disease could be transmitted to mom and yet you still had sex with her! You still got her pregnant and in turn passed that same disease to me, an innocent child! I don't know that there's anything in this world that will make _that_ right."

"Meg I loved her, I thought I would have the cure before she would even exhibit symptoms, I-"

He was cut off by Meg's laugh.

"Excuse me, what? Did I really just hear that? You loved her? You _loved_ her? You had a hell of a way of showing it, what with putting her down and beating her all the time! Even when she was trying to help you! And don't you dare try to say you loved me too. What a happy family we had, a beaten and broken mother and their lovely child locked away in a tower-"

"You don't understand!" He roared, getting up. Meg felt her veins turn to ice at the fire in his eyes.

"I did it because I loved you! If you had gone outside you would have been isolated like me, because of me! I didn't want you to go through what I did!"

Meg shrank from him, and her father suddenly stopped yelling and sat down, putting his face in his hands.

"Meg, I don't mean to do this, I don't. I couldn't control myself back then, when I was stronger and now…"

Meg was silent, and he looked up at her, tears in his eyes.

"Meg I loved you both so much but I could never say it. Back then I saw it as a weakness and because you two were my weakness I hated it. Because I knew I was so vulnerable to your mother I couldn't trust her, I knew she was the only one who could cripple me if she wanted. I didn't understand that she would never hurt me, that she really did only want to help…and when I finally understood it was too late."

"It's alright Meg, he's telling the truth. If anyone would know, I would." Meg looked up to see her mother's form entering the doorway. She tsked to herself when she saw Nadir on the ground and the glass scattered all around him.

"Was that entirely necessary?" She said, and heaved Nadir up into a plush chair, dabbing at the blood on his head with a handkerchief.

Meg's father actually looked sheepish, and Meg now had no idea what to make of all this as a million emotions fought to be at the forefront. Confusion, surprise, happiness…

Madame Giry seemed to falter when she sat up after getting Nadir into the chair, and her father took her by the arm, leading her to the edge of the bed and sitting her down.

"Dear, you shouldn't be up and about like this," he said gently to Madame Giry. She shook her head, and moved to Meg, taking her into her arms, finally losing her composure and sobbing onto Meg's shoulder.

"Oh Meg, I was so worried about you. I thought you were dead, or worse…"

Meg was silent, so overwhelmed that she couldn't even summon tears to her own eyes. She had never thought that she would see her mother again, had resigned herself to that. So to be in her mothers arms, and her father there, loving and concerned as if any normal family…she could hardly comprehend.

She looked, bewildered, at her father, then at her mother, and finally squeezed her tightly, tears at last coming to her own eyes.

After a while Madame Giry let her daughter go and sat back.

"How…?" Meg managed to get out, and Madame Giry smiled.

"Your father came to me a couple weeks after you disappeared. When he saw the report in the newspaper that said a young girl was missing after the opera caught on fire, he knew it was you. I wasn't exactly welcoming when he came to my door, but we came to a truce of sorts so we could do our best to find you. At that point the police were convinced that you were more than likely dead and thus gave up the search for you, but your father and I knew better. We had almost given up, after all it's been seven months, but then…Well, your father has his connections." She said with a shrug, "he was tipped off to this place where he found you."

Meg took in Nadir's unconscious form for the first time.

"You didn't have to knock him out, you know…" Meg said.

"Honey, he was your kidnapper, of course I had to." Her father said firmly, and Meg was silent. She could just tell them that Nadir was simply taking care of her, but then they might ask more, and she didn't know whether or not she wanted to tell them about Erik.

"No, I think you just wanted an excuse to knock the poor man out" Madame Giry said with a raised eyebrow.

"What? I needed the stress relief after seven months of looking for my daughter!" He said with a laugh. Her father seemed so different…and the easy way that her mother and father now communicated amazed her. Had all the emotional wounds between them healed in only seven months?

Her father saw the look on Meg's face, and as if reading her mind said, "This is probably a lot to take in for you Meg, considering everything. Your mother and I have had a lot of time together, and a lot of time to talk things out. I suppose what really brought us back together was the fact that…well, we're both dying."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They talked for hours after that, about how her father and mother were in the later stages of the disease, but that her father was getting very close to a cure. Meg said very little about where she had been these months, or about her 'kidnapper'. Although she felt a little bad for thinking this she was glad that Nadir was still out cold. She wasn't sure if he would say anything or just play dumb. Either way she knew her parents would have all sorts of questions for him when he came to.

They seemed to understand her reluctance to talk about it, chalking it up to the emotional scars she must have received from the experience, and didn't push the subject. However, she knew that eventually she would have to say something about it. She just didn't know how. I mean, what was she supposed to say? That she willingly stayed in 'captivity'? That the Phantom of the Opera, a few murders under his belt, was really not all that bad of a guy? They would probably think she was crazy and would set the police after Erik at once. Not that she was worried about Erik, more like she was worried about the police. She knew the treatment he gave those who came sniffing around him, she had received the watered-down version and even that wasn't too pleasant.

After a while she said she was feeling sleepy and her parents tied up Nadir. They said that they would be in the adjoining living room if she needed them. She was silent as her mind raced. She had to do something, but she didn't know if she could do anything. Warn Erik to stay away somehow. But she hadn't the faintest idea on how to contact him, or if she even could.

She got up out of bed and crept to the door. Her parents were in the living room of the suite, her father drinking coffee and her mother nibbling on a sweet pastry. They were talking in low tones to one another, but not secretively, only so they wouldn't wake her. They seemed so comfortable with one another…her father had one arm draped across her mother and she had a gentle smile on her face. It was as if they had been together all these years, and found comfort in their long history together. To see them so perfectly at ease was both satisfying and confusing to Meg. She didn't understand it, but she was happy they were able to find their peace.

But right now Meg was feeling anything but peace. Her thoughts were in a turmoil. Part of her said she should just tell them the truth about everything, that surely because they were her parents they would understand and support her; but the more cynical part of her told her that love only went so far when it came to an unbelievable story. No matter what she said they would want to protect her from the danger that they thought Erik would present to her. And maybe they were right, she couldn't argue that Erik could be dangerous at times, even to those he cared about. Maybe especially to those he cared about, because he knew those people were a point of weakness for him. He could be unstable at times… Hell, he had almost killed her on the spot when they first met on the assumption that she was after his head. Her, an innocent young woman.

But they wouldn't see the part of him that she saw. They wouldn't know like she did that he had come such a long way from the Phantom that destroyed the Opera over a lost love, to the man she knew now as Erik…the man behind the mask.

She sighed to herself and shook her head, quietly making her way to the balcony. Her head was surprisingly clear and she felt better than she had in weeks. It had to be the fresh air and vitamin-rich diet that Nadir had been forcing into her. She didn't feel 100 better, but it was a great leap from where she had been a while ago.

The summer night air felt soft and damp and the air was filled with the scent of wet leaves from the afternoon rain. She breathed deeply, and watched the city below. The city at night…Erik's domain. It was the only time he could go out and safely wander the streets. The night was beautiful in it's own way, as was the day. They each were so different, yet each one only accented the other's beauty, because night could not exist without the day, nor the day without the night; and the combination of the two at twilight was always spectacular. The sun melting into the horizon with blazing colors, the stars shining dimly in the slowly darkening sky. Many people always thought as darkness and light being always at odds, but Meg saw it as an magnificent partnership, ancient and eternal.

She sighed as her thoughts slowly drew her away from the allure of the night back the matters at hand. She had to warn Erik. The last thing she wanted to happen was him to come to danger because of her. Her parents would find out one way or another, and the cover that his supposed death provided would be blown. She couldn't go, not in her condition…she wouldn't get very far. Not to mention her parents would come after her then, possibly leading them to Erik.

She looked to the unconscious Nadir. Even though he was tied up she found it odd they left him in the same room with her, rather than in the room with them where they could watch him. Perhaps they were so caught up in finding Meg it slipped their mind momentarily. No matter, it would work to her advantage. She quickly cut the ropes with a small knife Nadir kept with him and shook him, trying to wake him as quietly as possible. His eyes fluttered open and his mouth started to form something, a word, a scream, but nothing got out because Meg quickly put her hand over his mouth and shook her head. She helped him up and motioned him to the balcony, gathering up the sheets on her bed and tying them together to form a rope. When they were out on the balcony Meg was able to risk a whisper, and although Nadir was understandably a little confused, he listened to her. She summarized all that her parents had told her, and he understood the necessity of warning Erik. She had him tie her up and gag her, and only when he had left and was a good distance away did she start making panicked noises through her gag.

Her parents rushed in and quickly untied her, their faces etched with worry. Meg motioned her head to the balcony, and her father ran to it, scanning the area. Madame Giry gently took out the gag.

"He's nowhere in sight!" Growled his father as he stalked back in.

"Meg, are you ok?" Madame Giry asked as she led her back to the bed.

"I'm fine. He didn't hurt me, just tied me up so I wouldn't interfere." Meg said, and settled down into bed.

Her father threw on a dark coat, and started for the door.

"I'll find him, don't worry." He said, and was gone.

Madame Giry sighed as she looked back at her daughter.

"Meg, are you doing ok? You're a bit pale."

"I'm fine. A lot better than you right now." Meg said.

"My concern is for you, not for myself." She replied, and tucked Meg in, "I'm going to go get you some tea, you look like you could use a little warming up and I know I could too. I'll be right back."

Meg watched her leave the room and sighed. She could rest easier now that Nadir had gotten away, but she was a little worried about her father being out there searching for him. She hoped she had given Nadir enough of a head-start to thoroughly disappear. Surely she had…he had to learn something from Erik, right?

She knew she should stay in bed lest she worry her mother, but she was feeling restless. She made her way to the balcony again, enjoying the feel of the wind on her face.

"I have impeccable timing, don't you agree?" a voice said behind her.

Meg jumped and whirled around to see Erik in the corner, blending in with the night, looking almost ominous as the moonlight played on the white of his mask.

"Erik!" Meg cried and ran to him, hugging him tightly.

"I wish you didn't scare me like that, it's the second time today that it's happened to me…you wouldn't believe what's happened since you've gone…"

She stopped when she noticed that Erik was not returning her embrace, and his muscles had grown taut. He pushed her away and for the first time she saw the anger in his eyes.

"Erik? What is it…?" Meg asked apprehensively as she backed away from him.

"You were just waiting for the right moment, weren't you?" He asked in a silky, dark tone filled with enraged undercurrents, "It wasn't good enough to just escape me, no, I was right the very first time you came to my door, all you want is a prize."

"What are you talking about Erik?! If you will just listen…!"

"NO!" He growled, "I will _not_ listen. I know your mother is here, and your father's prowling around right now, more than likely looking for me." He stepped towards her, and grabbed her shoulders. The icy look in his eyes held none of the things she saw in his eyes before he left, they were now just blank orbs, filled with nothing but hate and outrage.

"Why did you do this Meg?! I trusted you! I helped you! And this is how you repay me?!" He roared.

"I wouldn't do that to you Erik, I love you!" Meg gasped, her chest tightening from panic, and tears making wet trails down her cheeks.

"Meg?! What's going on out there?!" Meg heard Madame Giry's panicked cry. Erik let her go, and when Madame Giry ran out into the balcony all she saw was Meg's crumpled form on the ground, crying to herself.

Madame Giry knelt down and took Meg into her arms.

"Meg, who was there? What happened?"

But Meg couldn't answer. Her tears were coming stronger, and it was getting hard to breathe. She gasped for air but couldn't find it. Maybe she was wrong…maybe Erik was still just the same as ever. Maybe Erik didn't really exist, but only the Phantom…but she still loved him. She knew that now more than ever, and it killed her inside to know that he thought she had betrayed him.

The ache inside her was squeezing her lungs and her heart, and her eyes began to dim as her pulse began to slow.

"Meg! Meg no!" was the last thing she heard before falling into blackness.

**Yes, I know, I'm evil :P. So things are flowing freely now here as far as my writing, my muse was assassinated or something, but now I have an even better replacement! I'll try to go for one update a week.**

**Has Meg died? Well, my only answer to that is that there are still several more chapters to go…so you will see!**


	15. Strength

Angel of Grey

Chapter 15: Strength

Erik stalked through the forest, his mind clouded with rage. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, or if he was going to do anything, but he knew he would figure it out soon enough. Right now he couldn't think, couldn't even start to concoct some scheme to get out of this. He couldn't go back to his underground lair because he was certain Meg had told them all about that.

He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he was being uncharacteristically careless, and he walked right into someone. He looked up to see Nadir staring up at him, surprise on his face, but also…relief?

"Erik! Oh thank God I found you! You can't go back to Meg's place, her parents are there, and…"

"Yes, I know. I was just there." Erik said, his voice low in an attempt to cover up the emotion he was feeling at the moment. He offered Nadir a hand and helped him up, and Nadir took it, brushing himself off when he was upright again. When Nadir looked around to make sure no one was within sight Erik noticed the large wound on the back of his head.

"Are you alright, Nadir?"

"Oh? You mean this," Nadir said, rubbing the back of his head, "It's doing better now, Meg's father got me when he was trying to come into Meg's room. Don't worry, Meg isn't in danger, her father simply thought I was her kidnapper." he said.

"I'm not worried about Meg." Erik said darkly.

"What do you mean…?"

Erik's brooding silence was all it took to appraise Nadir of the situation. He knew Erik all too well.

"Erik, Meg was the one who sent me out here to warn you! She would have gone herself if she had been able, and more than likely she would have gone anyway if I wasn't there!" He shouted, his eyes wide.

Erik's face paled as he realized his mistake. Mistake…it wasn't like him to _make_ mistakes…

Just then he heard a loud cry echo across the forest, emanating from the hotel, which was just barely still in sight.

"Meg! Meg, no! Wake up Meg, please…" It trailed off as Madame Giry's voice became too quiet for the distance to carry it.

"Erik, what did you say to her?" Nadir asked slowly, his voice tense.

Erik was silent, and then in an instant was gone.

Nadir watched his black form recede into the night, back towards the hotel. He still couldn't shake the impression that Erik had said something as he left, so quietly that he wasn't sure he said it at all…

"I may have killed the only one I ever truly loved…"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time seemed to slow down, every detail of what he was taking in becoming frozen in his memory.

Meg, beautiful in an ethereal way as the moonlight played across her pale skin. Her father furiously working at her, sweat and tears mingling on his face as he tried desperately to force air into her lungs and her heart to pump. Her mother, usually so placid her face and skirt stained with tears was bent over Meg desperately pleading her to live.

What had he done?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Meg was walking along a brightly lit path in a forest. The dappled sunlight created patterns on the dirt before her almost like a marbled floor, and the trees framed the path in a such way that she felt as if she was walking down the vast, regal hall of a king. There was a stillness to the air that was only broken by the slightest of warm summer breezes, and the occasional cry of a bird._

_Where was she? She didn't remember going out to walk, nor did she remember her destination, but she was glad to be here nonetheless. _

_The trees opened up to a vast field, and a sky so big that she felt humbled. The field was filled with cream-colored grass and amidst the grass there were flowers as dark as midnight and flowers that seemed to glow a warm golden hue. She walked to the middle of the field and looked up to find the sky was a vast array of colors. The middle was a brilliant blue, which faded into a dark crimson orange as it neared the horizon. At the very edge was a deep ebony, dotted with stars that glittered like the sun on water._

_Her eyes came down to find before her a single rose. It defied definition, for one moment it looked as if it were a bright turquoise, and the next a deep blue, shining reflected light. The very tip of it shined golden, as if a drop of sun had collected there like dew. Awed she reached for it and when her finger just brushed it her eyes went dark, and when they cleared she was no longer in the field._

_She was walking down the street at a brisk pace. She came to the edge of the street and stopped for a moment, watching the carriages go up and down it. Suddenly a man, caught up in reading the paper brushed past her and suddenly tripped, falling right in front of a carriage. By the time the carriage driver noticed the man, it was too late. Both wheels bearing the full weight of the carriage and it's contents had driven over his leg. The man, loosing all semblance of a stately gentleman was screaming out in pain while people crowed around him._

"_Is anyone here a doctor?!" a panicked woman cried out, looking frantically among the crowd. _

_Surely someone in the crowd was a doctor? _

No, not this memory_, Meg thought to herself. She tried in vain to hold back, but she was merely a passenger in this memory and when no doctor appeared Meg inexorably ran forward. People cleared for her, probably assuming that she was the man's daughter. When she quickly used the man's cane and cloth from her own skirt to set the broken bone, that notion was dissipated quickly._

_There was an eerie sort of silence that descended upon the crowd as she worked. No one moved to stop her, yet no one moved to help her either._

_When she looked up, filled with the satisfaction that she just saved the man from a life of handicap, she was met with the crowd's silence._

"_He's ok now," She said weakly, and at that whispers started through the crowd._

"_Look at her covered in blood!" _

"_Disgusting."_

"_Isn't that one of those dancer girls from the opera? Is this the sort of thing they teach them nowadays?"_

_Their voices blurred together, forming an angry buzz around her. Mocking faces and pointing fingers surrounded her, and suddenly she felt trapped. They closed in on her, she couldn't breath, she couldn't breathe!_

_Suddenly a hand, and a voice cut through. _

_She took the hand, and it led her out, back into the light._

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg's eyes came open to see her mother's worried face above her. Her father stood at the edge of the balcony, looking out at the forest agitatedly.

"Meg! Oh Meg, I thought you were lost to us…" Madame Giry said, and helped Meg up onto the bed.

"What….happened?" Meg asked, but Madame Giry hushed her, and handed Meg a vial.

"Never you mind that. Just drink this, and sleep. You need to regain your strength."

Meg was too tired to fight about it, so she did as she was told. She would find out all that happened later.

Madame Giry watched Meg until she fell asleep, then joined her husband on the balcony.

"Should we tell her?" she asked, looking out into the forest.

"If we do, it will have to be only once she has fully regained her strength." he replied, then looked at her, "Do you truly trust this Phantom? Is the substance in the vial really going to be the cure for Meg?"

Madame Giry sighed, and closed her eyes.

"If he is anything, he is certainly always true to his word. When he says something, he means it."

Her husband was silent, and Madame Giry's thoughts went back to the moments before when Meg's life still hung in the balance.

When he had shown up her husband tried to stop him, but Erik quickly disabled him, and gave Madame Giry a warning look.

He quickly descended on Meg, and what happened next was nothing less than a miracle. He gave her something from a vial and she suddenly coughed, and started breathing shallowly yet she still looked as if she were on the very brink of death.

Then he leaned down and whispered something into her ear, and pink slowly began to fill her face again, a ghost of a smile appearing soon after.

When he finally straightened all Madame Giry could do was stare at him in astonishment. Before she could say anything, Erik spoke.

"In the vial is her cure. Have her take it immediately." After a pause he said, "It only will work for Meg…the cure for the disease at your stage will be much more difficult to concoct. I am sorry."

He lay a single white rose down by Meg, a note and vial tied to it's stem.

Madame Giry bent down and took the rose in her hands, fingering the vial. When she had looked up, Erik was gone.

She sighed and looked at the rose now. The note was still tied to it, and though she wondered what kind of things he would want to say to Meg she did not touch the seal.

She sighed and her husband walked to her, drawing her closer to him.

"Don't worry. Meg is fine now; and I'll keep working to find us a cure."

Madame Giry nodded and held back her tears. She would not regret dieing…her life had been long enough. What she would regret is leaving poor Meg alone in the world. After they were gone, who would take care of her then?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Meg awoke she felt as if a ton of bricks had been lifted from her. She couldn't remember anything from the night before, but she felt fantastic.

She got up and stretched, taking a nice deep breath and was surprised to feel no restrictions, no pain.

Her mother and father were asleep in the living room, and on her bedstand was a single white rose, a note tied onto it with a black ribbon. She knew what this meant! Erik…well, the Phantom at the time would always send roses to Christine as a way of communication. That meant he had to be nearby!

She picked it up and walked out to the balcony as she broke the red wax seal and opened it eagerly, her smile slowly fading as her eyes skimmed over the note.

_Dear Meg,_

_An apology for my actions just would not cover it. You have been more patient and kind with me than I have deserved. I will always remember your efforts on my part - they were the first of their kind, and the last. I can see now that all I can give you in return, and anyone else for that matter, is pain; and that is something I do not wish to perpetuate. We will not see each other again. _

_P.O.T.O_

Meg dropped the rose as her memory of that night returned to her in a flood.

Erik…betrayal…whispered words at the back of her mind…

Erik had left her….but he came back…he came back and saved her with beautiful words…

"_You have to wake up now Meg…you have to wake up, because even if I can't be with you, I can't live without you alive in this world. Because of you I now truly understand what love really means…to receive and to give."_

His words, the words that brought her back.

He left her…because he loved her.

He wanted to protect her from the pain that would inevitably come when she was with him. Pain that had been his constant companion for years. Just like her father who wanted to save her from the pain by keeping her locked inside.

Unshed tears shone in her eyes as she picked the white rose back up. White roses symbolized purity, and innocence. Is that what he sought to protect in her? As if she would be sullied by the mere fact that she associated with him?

She looked back to the memory again, the memory that had turned into a nightmare. The faces closing in, their insults buzzing around her; but she hadn't given in…no, she remembered now, what had happened after. She had stood up proudly, and in her loudest voice demanded quiet. Words had come from her as if they were divine inspiration…

"_What kind of world is this that it is a man's duty to help, but the woman's duty to be helpless? How is it that a man is supposed to fight back while a woman is supposed to stand aside to be saved, to be protected?! If I had been a man, and instead of helping had stayed my hand I would be labeled a coward. Yet I could help, and saved this man , but I'm labeled as something even worse than a coward. I want to be a doctor, yet that is kept from me by my gender. I want to help others yet I am considered too weak. I don't think that it is _I_ that is too weak, but all of _you_. None of you are strong enough to consider, just once, that maybe the way it's always been isn't right. That maybe it's time for some change. I for one will not take this double standard any longer."_

She had then walked away, her head held high. No one said anything after that, nor after she left. The crowd simply dispersed, and the injured man taken care of.

That had been on the fateful day she had fallen down into the Phantom's lair.

She wasn't weak, and she wasn't going to just stand by and let herself be 'protected'. What gave Erik the right to make the choice for her? She thought he knew her better than that!

She walked back inside and wrote a note to her parents explaining that she had gone to find Erik. She knew they would try to stop her so she made haste out of the hotel. She would find Erik, and not only that, they would work together on a cure for her parents.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This chapter is a bit short, but the next will be longer!

Also, thanks for all the encouraging reviews! It's what keeps me writing : )


	16. Lost and Found

Sorry for the horrendous delay! I was having some trouble with figuring out how to make this come together, but I figured it out. In apology I made this chapter extra long and with some yummy-ness towards the end for your reading pleasure! This story is coming to a close, couple of chapters left I would say, but I've had so much fun writing it, and you guys have been great! Thanks to anyone who has been patient enough to keep reading…and now, on to the story!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angel of Grey

Chapter 16: Lost and Found

As Meg quickly vaulted over the wall she couldn't help but to relish in fact that these things now came to her effortlessly again. It was a good thing too, because she knew her parents would send the fittest after her; and despite her father being in a weakened state he was still pretty light on his feet.

She ran swiftly could through the forest, nimbly dodging the obstacles as she went. She didn't know where to start her search for him, but she knew someone who might; Nadir. Last she saw him he was heading north in the forest, so that was where she would begin.

After about an hour of running she was stopped abruptly by a root tripping her. She hit the damp ground, the branched scratching at her bare arms. She propped herself up and continued to run. She didn't have time to stop, those little pains were trivial.

The air in her lungs burned like fire and her sides felt as if there were gaping wounds there but she would not stop. Time was of the essence if she didn't want Erik to disappear forever.

_I know you're here somewhere_. Meg thought to herself as she scanned the area. She had to be getting close to wherever he might be. He had left a fairly obvious path through the foliage; he didn't have the finesse that Erik did when it came to covering one's tracks.

"Meg." a voice startled her and she tripped again, falling into the mud. She looked up, startled, to see a familiar smiling face above her.

"You are alright! When I heard your mother's cry I thought the worst but…"

"N-Nadir…" Meg stuttered clutching her chest, "I just got better, I could do without a heart attack!" She gasped as she got up and wiped the mud off her face.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you, but if I hadn't intervened you would have dashed right past me!," His tone grew more serious, "What happened Meg? What did Erik do to you…?"

"I'm sorry but I don't have time to talk right now. You know Erik better than anyone I know…where would he go first? Considering his lair has been compromised."

Nadir's expression became grave.

"There is one place…but Meg, I'm not sure you should go…"

"Nadir, I'm tired of hiding, and I'm tired of running. He _will_ face me _and _himself. Tell me where he is." She said in a firm voice.

Nadir was surprised by the steel in her eyes; there was no room for compromise there. The only time he had ever seen a look so determined was from Erik himself. If that was the case, then resisting her wishes would be useless.

He sighed, and told her what she wanted to know . She nodded and as quickly as she had come, she was once again gone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Meg came upon the place Nadir described she was out of breath and nearly spent. She had been running most of the day already, she was covered in mud and soaking wet for it began to rain not an hour before. She silently thanked her rigorous ballet training - without the stamina that she had gained over the years she never would have made it this far.

She appraised the small structure. It was obviously abandoned, hardly big enough to live in. In fact it looked more like a tool shed.

She pushed the door aside and it nearly fell off it's hinge it was so rusted. Instantly her nose was assailed with the scent of numerous animal droppings. It seemed the shed had become home to various wildlife.

_Blegh, no wonder he choose this place as a hideout, no one in their right of mind would even go _near_ a place like this._

It just took one quick look to realize he was not anywhere inside. Knowing him, there was something here that wasn't readily apparent.

She looked across the floor and noticed that one spot in particular wasn't as covered in animal droppings as the rest of the floor. It looked almost as if some droppings were hastily replaced in order to hide the area but it wasn't done very well.

_Erik must have been in a big hurry to make a mistake like that_. She thought as she brushed away the droppings with her handkerchief and pried up the edge of the boards.

She slipped into the small passage and down into a dark hallway of stone. This time she was prepared for this, and took a candle and match from her pocket. Despite her hasty departure from her house she knew well enough to take a those two supplies considering that wherever Erik resided darkness was sure to be his constant companion.

She lit the candle and held it up in front of her as she carefully made her way down the steadily sloping passage. The stone was slippery and wet so it took a lot of concentration just to make it through without falling on her butt and sliding down. The last thing she needed was to unceremoniously crash into his lair legs and arms flailing and butt in the air.

After a while the passage branched off into three different directions. She muttered a few curses under her breath. Of course he wouldn't make it easy. To most it would seem a simple matter elimination, but she knew Erik. There were most likely traps down whichever corridors were not the right one. Traps that wouldn't discriminate between good or bad intentions.

There had to be a way to figure out which passage was the right choice. Anything, even something very small. She walked up to each passage. The air was damp and heavy, and the smell of musty wet rocks invaded her senses. But when she walked up to the left passage she noticed that there was a slight movement of air, and the musty scent was less prevalent there. It was barely noticeable, but unmistakable. That passage had to open up to a bigger room, or outside. Either way it seemed it didn't spell her imminent demise so she chose that direction.

She made her way as quietly as she could. So far all she could hear is the dripping of water on stone. It was almost maddening, and she wondered idly how Erik could live in places like this on a regular basis.

After what seemed like an eternity of walking the tunnel finally opened up into a vast cavern. On the top of the ceiling there was a small hole and it lit the area, the light glinting off the walls making them appear to glow. It was beautiful to say the least.

She was so taken by the scenery that she didn't notice a fine filament strung across the floor until her foot broke it. Rocks came showering from the entrance and she was only just fast enough to get her body out of the way.

She cried out in pain from the sudden pressure on her foot, and thanked God that she was wearing very sturdy shoes. It hurt, but not enough to point to any broken bones. Despite that if she didn't get her foot out soon there would be some serious damage.

She cursed under her breath for the second time that day. She should have known better! Of course he would have traps here too…she was in a hurry so she didn't consider that at first, and now it was too late.

She tugged at the rocks in vain. She wasn't strong enough. Most of her strength was in her legs and they were useless at the moment.

"So you're alive. I wasn't completely sure my serum would even work."

She turned and saw him standing before her in his full glory. Black overcoat and pale mask gleaming, it seemed almost as if he glowed in the dim light of the cavern.

He tsked to himself when he saw her foot caught.

"You were careless, I see. I thought I had taught you better than that."

Meg bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain as she tried to pull out her foot.

"Erik…"

"You speak to the Phantom child, I suggest that you address me as such." He said coldly as he walked closer to her.

She was silent as he bent down to her and without much effort lifted the rocks away.

She scooted away from him and barely managed to stand by putting most of her weight on her other leg. He chuckled lowly.

"I'm not sure what you think you can accomplish with that. You can't get away from me in here, that was the only entrance."

"Why would you set a trap that would seal you inside as well?"

"I never intended on leaving here."

She looked up at him in shock. One look into Erik's eyes and she knew that he had snapped. Whatever human elements he might have once retained had now receded deep into his psyche. What remained was only the Phantom before her.

Meg tried to keep from shaking as she took in the area around her. The beauty of the cavern was now lost on her as she realized that it was now her grave.

Meg steadied herself. It didn't matter what was going to happen now. Even if she was going to die, she was going to accomplish what she came here for.

She shakily took out the note he had written to her.

"Do you know what this is?"

He was silent, so she continued.

"You never once thought of me as an equal. Despite all the things you taught me, saying I could be a doctor when all others denied me that because of my gender, you still never considered me equal. A child, a girl…unable to make her own decisions."

She ripped up the note and let the pieces float to the ground.

"You're wrong. It's not your choice alone. Maybe you'll cause me pain…but even if it's a mistake to stay with you, it's my mistake to make. I don't regret coming here, even now."

She held his gaze defiantly. Something stirred in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

He was silent for a moment, then he turned away.

"Then you're a fool."

He melted into the shadows again, and once again she felt alone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Why do I exist?" Meg asked herself, her head buried in her knees._

_She watched the dust float through the golden sunlight cast from the single window in the studio. _

I can't do anything but look pretty._ She thought, _If I'm not allowed to do anything really good then why do I exist?

_Wasn't she put on this Earth for something more than this? Or was this the sum of her existence? At least Christine had a future; she had a voice that could beckon the angels from heaven. But her? Her voice was weak, her dancing techniques average. She had other talents, but just because she was a girl they didn't matter. Because of some unwritten rules that everyone followed she was kept from her dream._

_All she wanted to do was help people…why was that wrong?_

_She couldn't help Christine…she was inconsolable. Her performance of the Phantom's opera was tonight yet she sought no comfort from anyone, even Raul._

_She couldn't help her father._

_She couldn't help her mother._

_She couldn't help her best friend._

_And in the end when she was able to help that injured man on the street she was looked upon as trash._

_What was wrong with her? _

_Why were all her efforts in vain?_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meg woke from a sharp pain in her leg. She sat up shakily and looked at her ankle. It was swollen and turning odd colors. She touched it gingerly and winced. She hadn't fractured anything but she definitely sprained it. She needed ice or medicine to make the swelling go down but there was nothing in the cave she could use.

She looked up to see moonlight streaming through the small opening. It was only about as big as her head. There was no way he or she could get out there. She would need Erik's help to get out of this mess…if she could get him back.

She looked around but Erik was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he went into another chamber of the cavern?

She propped herself up and hopped carefully over to the wall. Bracing herself on the slick stone she waked around the perimeter of the cavern, feeling the wall as she went to see if there was a hidden door.

In the darkest corner there was a small opening, hard to see because of the fact that there were stones jutting up all around it. She wouldn't be able to walk through it because of her leg, so she got on her stomach and crawled, dragging her bad foot behind her. After a moment the passage opened into a small room.

The room was simple, there were a few books shoved in the corner next to a small box of supplies, and the Phantom was laying on a large red cushion placed in the middle of the room. His breathing was shallow, and he seemed to be having a nightmare. Sweat beaded on his brow and his eyebrow was furrowed. Meg stood and limped over to him. He didn't awaken when she approached, meaning he had to be lost deep in his nightmare. Usually he was a very light sleeper.

She sat beside him and wiped his head gently with a torn piece of fabric.

"Erik, wake up" She whispered in his ear, but he didn't even stir.

She shook him and still nothing. He was lost inside his own mind.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_He wandered the corridors aimlessly. The walls were hot and phantoms reached out, grasping at him with their clammy fingers. There were so many of them, at every twist and turn there seemed to be more and more. _

_The walls shifted constantly, changing his path and forcing him down deeper into the earth. He thought he could go no deeper when he came to a dead end. _

_The phantoms closed in on him and he recognized their faces as the ones that were brought down by his vengeful hands. They were surrounding him, suffocating him. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think._

_Surely this is what he deserved. What he had earned for his sins. Let them take him…he had nothing left any more. Why continue living when all that people wished for him was death?_

_His hands began to grey and become translucent. The phantoms' faces seemed more substantial now, eyes gleaming and teeth glinting as they sneered at him, taunting him as his life faded away. _

_They slowly intermingled to create one massive dark figure. _

_A dark figure with a mask. _

_It became bigger as he shrank, engulfing him in the growing darkness._

_From above a light began to shine feebly._

"_Erik!" a voice called, weakly._

_Confused, he looked up. Who was Erik? Certainly not him, he was just another phantom, just like that had been surrounding him._

_The voice called out again, this time stronger, more insistent._

"_Erik! Wake up!"_

_The ground shook beneath him and the figure in front of him hesitated, disturbed by this new development._

_Erik?_

_A memory glimmered at the back of his mind._

_Laughter. A delighted face, one that was caused by him. Her blue eyes twinkled with merriment as she pointed out a mistake he made in one of his calculations._

_He tried to make out her face, but couldn't. The memory faded, and the dark figure once again closed in. It was getting colder, and he could feel himself beginning to go numb._

"_Erik, please!"_

_Eyes filled with tears, that cut through to his very soul. _

_Eyes that stirred feelings within, confusing and wondrous._

_Fiery, determined eyes, defiant and absent of fear. One who dared to challenge him, yet on a deeper level than he could have ever thought. _

_A fire within, one fueled by something. Not hatred, nor vengance…but something else. Something…stronger._

"_Erik."_

_A hand reached out from above and he grasped it, pulling him above the phantom's reach and out into the light._

_Color flooded his senses, the scent of sun-warmed ground and life. Two figures stood above him, one emanated pure light, and the other stood in front of it, the light infusing her. He could only see her hand, but he knew he had to see more. He had to see who she was._

_The light receded into the sky and he finally saw her smiling face. Grey luminescent folds of fabric enclosed her, shining iridescent as the light hit it._

_Not Christine._

_Meg, his angel of grey._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

He had stopped breathing. Meg shook him frantically, and whimpered as his face began to take on an alarmingly grayish tone.

There was nothing she could do! She didn't have the resources she needed to revive him. The only thing she could hope for was mouth to mouth.

She began to work quickly, forcing breath into his lungs.

"Erik, wake up!" She screamed in futility.

It wasn't working. She listened for a heart beat and found none.

She bit back tears.

"Erik, please!"

It wasn't any use, his heart refused to respond to her pounding.

"No…" she whispered, and rest her forehead on his gently.

"Please wake up." she begged, and finally kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"Erik…"

Very suddenly his chest heaved with a violent gasp as if coming up for air after a long dive.

Meg tried to move away to give him air but found herself enclosed in his embrace.

"E-Erik?"

"Meg." He said simply.

"Are you alright?" She asked, and mentally kicked herself. He had nearly died, of course he wasn't ok!

"I am now." He reassured her.

There was only silence after that. Meg felt the rise and fall of his chest, the warmth of his breath on her ear, his lean body against hers and she felt her heart quicken. She suddenly began to feel very nervous as she watched his mouth take in breath, then release it slowly.

"C-could you let me up?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

She lay her head down against his chest. His heart was beating hard against the confines of his chest, betraying his outward calm.

"Erik? Are you sure yo-" Before she could finish that sentence Erik turned to his side so that he could face her, his arm still draped possessively around her waist. He brought his other hand up to softly caress the curve of her neck, tracing a line up to her lips. His fingers lingered there, effectively silencing her.

She looked into his eyes to see a myriad of emotions there, so many that she couldn't distinguish them all.

Her hand reached up to his mask slowly. She let it rest on the smooth ceramic, fingering the creases of the furrowed brow, always angry. Then her fingers wandered to the sleek black wig, deceptively coarse to the touch.

She paused. The Phantom; the façade. It was all summed up with those two coverings.

But Erik lay in those crystal blue eyes fixed upon her; and that was all that mattered to her.

Slowly, she reached to take off his mask and wig, looking for assent in his eyes before she proceeded. For a moment she thought he may refuse, but then acceptance came in the slightest of nods.

She took them off, setting them to the side.

He looked at her hesitantly as if expecting her to turn away or to flinch at his appearance. The way he looked at her now, so vulnerable…like a child seeking love and acknowledgement but expecting reprimand and punishment.

It brought tears to her eyes to think of how many people had taught him that the response he would always get was revulsion and hate.

She slowly came forward and kissed his scarred forehead, then lightly brushed a few stray strands of hair aside. She smiled as tears that had been waiting at the edge of her eyes now fell freely down her cheeks.

He brought his fingers to her face gently brushing away her tears; and as he felt the warm dampness on his fingers he realized that this was no dream. No torturous vision of beauty and love sent to taunt him just out of arms reach. This time it was real. For the first time in his life he had been accepted for who he was.

For the first time in Meg's life, her help had been accepted for what it was.

As Meg gazed into his azure eyes they slowly changed from simple joy to something darker. A thrill ran up and down Meg's back, settling in her abdomen as a molten fire. There was danger in those eyes, both thrilling and frightening at the same time.

Meg sat up.

"W-We need to find a way out of here." she stated shakily, and attempted to move away from him.

Before she even had time to think she was back on the ground and pinned, his soft, hot lips pressed firmly against hers. His tongue demanded entry and she found she did not have the strength to refuse him.

He moved from her lips and began placing soft kisses up and down her neck. Meg let out a soft moan of satisfaction and that spurred him further as he hurriedly unbuttoned the top buttons of her blouse and moved to kiss along the edge of her collarbone and down to the curve of her breast.

He looked up from his ministrations and into her eyes.

"You will have me?" He asked, his voice husky with desire.

Meg found she hardly had the breath within her to reply, so instead she unbuttoned his shirt as well, then moved to gently nibble the shell of his ear.

A deep throaty growl emitted from him as he threw her down against the soft cushion, pressing every inch of his body against hers.

"Then you will be mine." He whispered into her ear, his hot breath making her shiver.

"Say it." He demanded, softly biting her neck.

Meg groaned, and clung tighter to him.

"I am yours…" She gasped, and then leaned in close to his ear, "But…you are _mine_."

Erik felt a thrill travel through him at the blatant possessiveness in her tone, and a deep sound of masculine satisfaction escaped his lips.

It was time for a lesson he had been longing to teach her for over a month now…

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

When Meg woke up she found herself sprawled unceremoniously on his bare-chested form, and leapt up with shock when she noticed her shirt was clinging to her haphazardly at best.

"I - what did I - what did we -"

"…do?" Finished Erik, now languidly lounging on the cushion.

How dare he look so inviting when she was this confused!

She noticed he was looking at her unclad form with an appeasing eye. She closed her shirt, blushing madly.

"It's a shame you don't remember - after all I put so much effort into last night." He practically purred, one eyebrow raised in amusement at her sudden amnesia.

Meg sputtered a bit but it seemed she was unable to form words. When did he get this mischievous?!

He got up, and before she could react he was right in front of her, his soft lips brushing ever so slightly against her cheek as he spoke.

"Don't worry, your virtue is in tact…for now."

Meg shivered as heat began to gather within her body once again.

She looked to the side and noticed sheets of parchment strewn on the ground near the bed. She picked one up and noticed it was a sketch of her own shirtless figure, posed on the cushion.

She blushed as it came back to her.

With each stroke of the charcoal on paper he had torturously repeated each stroke on her nude figure with a soft brush whetted with scented oil.

It was a sweet torture of a caliber that would be burned into her memory for years to come.

Noticing her memory seemed to be returning, he leaned close to her again.

"And that, my dear, is just a taste of what is to come." He whispered, gently nipping her ear before leaning back.

Meg was sure that she was so red she had to be glowing by this point.

"I-It's very good" She finally managed to say, doing what she could to keep herself under control, "I didn't know that you were so talented at art as well."

"When one has the right inspiration, one can do just about everything." he said, his eyes gleaming as he grinned at her unabashedly.

"I ah…oh." She decided that maybe it would be best if she just avoided talking for a while before she made a complete idiot out of herself.

He stood up and she did her best to not think about the fact that he had a very nice, well-sculpted chest.

"It's time we get out of here." He announced, suddenly all business.

"Oh?" She prompted. Part of her wanted to stay here longer and get more than just a…_taste_…but she knew from the throbbing in her ankle that it still needed attention. Though not life threatening, left alone it could do her some serious damage.

"Yes. There are explosives stashed away under that rock," he indicated a large rock to her right, "I kept them here in the event I had to destroy my hideout so that no one would find it. It's difficult to set enough to open the passage and not collapse the cavern, but we have no choice but to try."

"So it's risky then?" asked Meg, feeling a bit nervous.

He came closer to her, and helped her up.

"Meg…I won't lose you again. Can you trust me?"

His eyes were sincere and open, filled with determination to protect her at all costs.

She nodded, and he drew her into a warm embrace.

"But can you trust me?" Meg murmured into his shoulder.

He chuckled lightly and Meg's crystal eyes rose to meet his in slight confusion. He paused, then buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her light, sunny scent.

"My dear Meg…I have already trusted you with my heart."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	17. Cure

AN: Sorry guys for the wait! I was in a major writers block rut with this last chapter (yes, it is the final chapter I finally figured out) but I made it extra long just for you. I hope you like it and thanks for sticking with me this long! Enjoy J

Angel of Grey

Chapter 17: Cure

They made it back to the hotel with little difficulty - Erik was strong enough to carry her without much effort (though he made jokes along the way about how her newfound health had caused some weight gain). When they arrived it was all Meg could do to assure her parents she was all right as Erik cared for her ankle. Madame Giry's eyes gleamed with pride as her daughter went into great detail on the differences between a sprain and a fracture, and how because it was just a light sprain it would heal within a couple days.

Once Meg was taken care of she explained everything to them. They listened intently, and when she finally finished Madame Giry simply hugged her daughter and told her to get some rest. Meg obliged, and as soon as she left the room Madame Giry turned to her husband and asked him to leave. She needed to speak with Erik privately; after all, out of all of them she knew him the best. As soon as he left the room she turned to Erik, her gaze on him intense and probing.

"You do know she loves you." It was not a question.

Erik nodded.

"I will not stand idly by and watch her get hurt by you over and over again; and I will certainly not allow what happened with Christine to happen with Meg. What assurances can you give me that you've really changed? That she is not merely your newest obsession?"

Erik contemplated it for a moment. How _did_ he know if he had changed? Despite his introspective tendencies, he did not know himself as well as he previously thought; Meg had shown him that. She brought out sides in him he had never encountered before.

"There are no assurances I can give. Except…for you and your husband."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Madame Giry eyes narrowed slightly

"You were estranged from him, but now you are facing your illness together as if you had been together all along. Who do you have to thank for that, for the most part?"

"Meg." She said quietly.

"She is an extraordinary girl." Erik said simply, "To be able to change stubborn minds like ours." He said with a small chuckle.

She nodded her head, but her eyes were still concerned.

"The chances are still good that you would end up hurting her. You're a broken man, Erik, and she is young and naïve. Perhaps it would be better…if…"

Erik shook his head, and gave her a dark look. Madame Giry knew the conversation was over, so she invited her husband back in. They talked well into the night, discussing many things. When Erik and Meg's father got into details of the potential cure for the advanced stage of their illness Madame Giry excused herself.

She came to Meg's bed and lightly brushed some hair off her cheek.

Meg stirred and awakened, turning to face her mother.

"What is it?" She asked groggily.

"Nothing…just…be careful." Madame Giry said softly.

"I will. You know I've always been cautious."

"You have not" said Madame Giry, a hint of laughter in her voice.

"I have _so_!" Meg retorted.

"Oh? Remember that cute boy with the dark eyes that -"

"Oh hush mama, that's not fair." Meg huffed, crossing her arms.

"Yes it is, I'm your mother, I _always_ play fair." she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Suuure." Meg said with a grin

"Goodnight" Madame Giry said, with a kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight."

Meg watched her go and sighed. She hadn't actually been asleep when her mother came in, but she thought it was best to feign sleep She didn't want her mother to worry more than she had to. Meg was simply restless anyway, nothing serious.

She got up and walked carefully over to the balcony, staring out into the night. She heard footsteps behind her.

"Hi." She said, without looking up.

"Why aren't you in bed?" He asked as he walked up to her side.

"I'm not sleepy. I wanted to look at the stars. My throbbing ankle feels a little better when I'm upright, take your pick." She replied, looking back into the forest.

He brushed against her as he came beside her and she suppressed a shiver. His contact still had such an effect on her.

"You should be getting rest." He said firmly.

"So should you."

"I wasn't recently on my deathbed."

"That depends on your definition of "deathbed"" Meg said with a smirk.

"You know what I mean" He said, his voice tinged with exasperation.

"Well it was either stare at the ceiling or stare out at the stars. I decided that the stars was a much more likable view." Meg said with a sigh.

"Well…I cannot argue with that." He said, and was silent for a moment as they both looked out into the dark velvet sky.

"Meg?" Erik's voice broke the silence, surprisingly soft and vulnerable.

She turned towards him. His eyes were still gazing at the sky, and she couldn't read what they held.

"Yes?"

He hesitated, then asked "Why?"

"Why what?" She asked.

"Why do you love me? After all the horrible things I've said, and done?"

"I don't know." Meg said truthfully, "I just do."

After a moment, she added,

"I want you to be happy."

"Why?"

"After such a life of pain you deserve a little happiness, don't you think?" Meg added, brushing his cheek with her hand.

He grew cold, and stepped away from her.

"What's wrong?" Meg asked.

"So, it is not love, but pity." He muttered darkly.

"Wha-What do you mean?" Meg asked, her mouth agape. How could he jump to such an outrageous conclusion?

"You pity me because my life was hard and solitary. You want to be my 'light', the one who 'fixes' me. This is just some convoluted game to you, isn't it?" He said, his voice tinged with bitterness and accusation.

Each word struck her heart. Why was he saying this?

"Erik, you know that isn't true, it - "

He came towards her and clasped her shoulders hard.

"You can't honestly say that you want me, that you want _this_!" He roared, ripping off his mask.

Meg stared into his pale blue eyes, glistening with unshed tears of rage and sorrow.

And she slapped him.

Hard.

The sound echoed across the open night, and through the dark rooms of the hotel suite. Erik did not have time to respond for Meg had captured his lips in a passionate kiss. She held her breath until he responded, his tongue sliding into her mouth, smooth as velvet. He nipped at her bottom lip, and she clutched him tighter, moving to place gentle kisses along his neck.

"Meg…I am sorry…"

She looked back at him. His eyes were just sad now, the raging fire burned out.

"Your mother…thinks it would be better if we would not pursue this. I still think…that I may agree. I don't want to hurt you Meg…"

"Of course she thinks that. She's my mother, it's her job to worry about everything I do. But despite the fact that you're older than me, I'm still an adult and I can make my own decisions. We've already been over this."

Erik knew from the iron in her eyes that there was no possible way he could ever convince her otherwise.

He sighed.

Meg turned to go back to bed, but stopped.

"I won't ever give up. I love you too much to let you go. Call me selfish if you want, but I don't care."

She continued to her room, but two soft hands on her shoulders stopped her. Erik turned Meg to face him and enfolded her into his warm embrace. He bent down and whispered into her ear.

"I will not give up on you, or your parents either. They will get well…and I will love you until the day that I breathe my last."

Meg shivered as his breath tickled her ear, and leaned into him.

"I love you too."

-

The pale morning light filtered in through the window and Meg groaned.

She hadn't been able to get to sleep for hours after Erik had escorted her to her bed and tucked her in so tightly she swore he was secretly trying to restrain her.

_It's probably just because all that laying around in bed before gave me more than enough energy for months_ she thought to herself. She got up and stretched, sighing as her tense muscles protested. What she needed was a good exercise. If only her ankle would oblige; but the best she could do was a steady walking pace. It was a lot better than it was yesterday, but it still twinged with pain if she put too much weight on it.

She dressed quickly, and walked out of her room and into the main room. A light breeze filled the room from a window. It had to have been opened recently by someone…but all was quiet.

"Is anyone up?" she called out, but no answer. Had they left to get some breakfast? Even so, Erik would not have gone out in broad daylight. Usually this time of the morning he was fast asleep. She checked his room to see his bed ruffled, but not occupied.

"Erik…?"

Suddenly arms enfolded her from behind, drawing her tightly against an unknown body. She shrieked in surprise and tried to turn, but the grip was firm.

"Good morning to you too" Erik whispered into her ear.

"_Erik_! Who said that you were allowed to be that quiet?! I swear you're part feline." Meg gasped.

Erik chuckled and let her go.

"Where are…?"

"They went out to have a nice breakfast in town. So I took the liberty of preparing a breakfast for us as well." He flourished his hand to a beautifully set feast of a breakfast, that she knew could not have been there yet seconds before.

"But how did you-"

"If you knew how, it wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" He said with an enigmatic grin.

She smiled to herself. She was beginning to think that his actions were not optical illusions but that he was simply a supernatural being with the things he pulled off on a regular basis.

She sat down at the table, and placed the napkin on her lap. The meal was mostly silent, peppered with the sort of lighthearted conversation that she had been missing for months now.

After they had cleared away the plates and mess, Erik took her hand and led her to the balcony.

"Close your eyes." he said in a deep and silky voice to which she could do nothing but comply.

She felt him pick her up, and then a breeze ruffling her hair. When she opened her mouth to ask where he was taking her he placed a finger gently against her mouth.

He lay her somewhere soft. She sank down into something, something that smelt of flowers, air, and water all at the same time.

"…Erik?"

When he did not answer she tentatively opened her eyes, and her senses were overloaded with what she saw.

Glittering rock towered above her on every side but one, which was open to the sun. The sunlight shone off every facet showing different colors of every shade. Below her was a bed of clover and flowers. Directly in front of her water flowed out of the rock and into a small pool.

She crawled forward, and impulsively reached into the water. It was freezing cold, and crystal clear. The pool was filled with small pebbles, smooth and polished from centuries of water flow. She picked one up and felt it, marveling at how even something as rough and strong as rock inevitably gave way to the forces of nature.

A glint caught the corner of her eye, and she turned towards it.

Something was between two rocks, and it shone brightly in the reflected sunlight. She reached towards it and pulled it out of the water. It was ring. Two strands of pure silver were woven together and at the top was a small rose with a ruby nestled in the center.

She began to wonder how something so beautiful could have possibly been discarded in this pool without a single hint of time-induced damage but her thought process was interrupted when something soft brushed against her arm. She turned her head to see a rose petal. She picked it up and drew her fingers against it's velvety surface. Where had that come from?

When she looked up to see from where it could have fallen the sky explode with dozens more, a soft fluttering like thousands of tiny birds filling the air. She stood up, her gaze still skyward, but the source of the rain was not apparent. The petals seemed to come from the sky itself.

She felt the urge to dance, and so she did. The pain in her ankle forgotten, she burst into motion immediately. With petals flowing around her, she danced a dance that she never had before, one more intense than she could have ever before conceived. Soon she was joined by a song and her dance intensified, arms and legs twirling around, the petals already on the ground whirling to life around her as if drawn to her.

Suddenly Erik was there in front of her, almost as if the rose petals had gathered together to form him from nothingness. Still singing he offered her his hand, and she took it. Her voice joined his; and although her voice could not compare to his, and neither could his dancing to hers together they formed as perfect a harmony as any.

When finally they came to a stop the last of the petals were fluttering down from the sky, brushing softly against her face and collecting in her hair. Erik took a petal and brushed it against her cheek. Meg smiled up at him, and for a moment Erik lost his composure. He seemed struck by something.

"What is it?" Meg asked, and he shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Nothing - just that every time I think I know you, you surprise me with something else. Today, it was your smile."

"What's so surprising about my smile?"

"Today it hides an answer, I can see it just at tips and edges of each curve."

"An answer to what?" She asked, curious. He drew up her hand, the one still holding the ring, and slipped it on her finger.

"To this." He said, his gaze intense.

Meg was silent for a moment; and for a moment Erik had a horrible wrenching doubt. Then, she smiled again.

"Yes." She said simply. Erik took in a sharp breathe, and almost lost his balance. Meg held him tighter, and enjoyed the warm feel of his body against hers.

"Did you really think I would have said no?" She asked him, incredulous. All his previous confidence was now gone. Meg looked into his eyes, and realized with surprise that for the first time she was seeing him without a single mask between him and her. For the first time, she saw his true face. The face of an uncertain boy, wanting to please but expecting nothing but punishment. Wanting nothing more than acceptance but expecting rejection.

"I had thought…"

"Erik." she said firmly, cupping his face in her hands "I love you." she continued, enunciating each word.

Then he broke out into a smile, one so genuine that it brought tears to her face. He picked her up and spun around, then brought her into a tight embrace, sobbing.

"I love you…I love you…" He said over and over again through his tears.

"You silly, why are you crying?" She asked, her own tears mingling with his.

"You are one to talk." He said, his sobs turning to laughter.

"I am not crying." Meg said, wiping her tears away stubbornly.

"Oh? Then that liquid coming out of your eyes is something other than tears?"

"Yes." She said, a coy smile tugging the edges of her lips.

"Well, we'll have to do a study on that." He said very seriously. They were silent for a moment, and then they burst into riotous laughter. All the tension, all the sadness, all the anger, everything that had been building over the past few months broke just then, leaving only relief and joy. They slowly slid to the ground, and Meg lay her head on his chest, holding up her ringed finger to examine it.

"What…what made you decide to…?"

Erik thought back to earlier that morning.

Madame Giry had come to his room, and sat on his bed without bothering to bring in a light. She was silent for a moment, but before Erik could ask her what she wanted, she spoke.

"_Erik…I have my doubts, all mothers do. But I want to take back what I suggested earlier. I've been thinking about it all night…and the more I think about it, the more it seems right. She isn't just healing you…you're healing her. I can see such a change in her, she's more confident…much happier."_

"_Don't joke so early in the morning Madame, it is rude." He said with a dark chuckle._

_She either didn't hear him, or pretended not to._

"_Will you take care of her always?"_

_He was silent. What was she getting at?_

"_Of course."_

"_Then I give her to you."_

"_What do you-"_

"_Hush! This is the hardest thing a mother ever has to do, so you had better be quiet and just agree with me!"_

_Erik was abashed. What could he say to that?_

"_I'll be honest; I don't entirely trust you. But Meg does, and I trust her. If you ever hurt her, I swear you will regret it. But somehow, I feel that you will not."_

_He didn't say anything as she left the room without another word._

That conversation in the dark had been the final confirmation. He would do what he had longed to for so long; it finally felt right.

"Oh…nothing important."

Meg jabbed him playfully in the side, "Despite your so-called powers of deception you can be a really terrible liar sometimes."

"Only for you, Meg. Only for you."

-

Meg awoke, her hand draped idly over Erik's bare chest. She snuggled closer to him, enjoying the warmth he radiated.

The next few months had been a blur for Meg as they planned for the wedding and worked feverishly on a cure. So when they finally came to the day that she would become Erik's wife, she could hardly believe it.

They had invited a few people they could trust, and the ceremony was beautiful in it's simplicity. The setting was the same as the place Erik had proposed to her, and again it rained rose petals; only this time white. As they flowed around her, in the arms of the one she loved…that was when it hit her. That she really was getting married. She had almost lost her balance then, and would have toppled over if not for Erik's firm embrace.

Later that night he joked about it, saying his charms were so powerful that she could hardly stand in his presence. She told him it had nothing to do with charm and everything to do with not having a bit of sleep that entire week.

So they had spent their first wedded night exhausted and had simply fallen asleep in each other's arms.

She laughed to herself.

"And what, my dear, is so very funny?" Erik asked, sleep still heavy in his voice.

"Well it's just…last night isn't exactly what I had imagined for my first night as your wife."

"_You_ are the one who fell asleep first I may remind you. I can hardly ravish an unconscious female, no matter how attractive she may be." He said with an eyebrow quirked.

Meg giggled.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" She prodded.

He rolled over and mocked snoring.

"Hey!" She protested and poked his side. A small chuckle escaped from his mouth, and she realized with a squeal of glee that he was ticklish.

It was over in seconds. She attacked, and before she knew what was happening she was pinned to the bed.

"You cheat." she muttered rebelliously.

"So it's victory when you win, but cheating when I win? How is that fair?" He said, a grin spreading across his face.

"Life just isn't fair." She squirmed in his grasp, "Let me up you beast" She said with a huff.

"Oh? A beast am I?" He drew closer, and his warm breath tickled her ear.

Meg shivered.

"Now you're really not playing fair." She whined.

"There's more than one way to win." He purred, "and it's so much easier to keep you still if you want to stay still" and with that he nibbled gently on her ear.

Meg suddenly remembered that they were nearly naked (him shirtless and her in a sheer nightgown) as his warm chest brushed against her own. She blushed furiously, and pulled up the blanket between them.

Erik stopped and looked up, puzzled.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Meg said nothing and Erik inwardly cursed. Did she really find him repulsive after all? He sat up and looked away, the scarred half of his face away from her. He knew it was too good to be true, how could she ever-

His thoughts were interrupted as she murmured something barely audible.

"What was that?" He encouraged.

"It…I-It's just…no one has ever seen me fully naked before. I'm worried that you might…I don't know…"

Erik laughed. He laughed so hard that Meg took on an insulted look and threw a pillow at him.

"It isn't funny!"

"I didn't say it was."

Erik turned to face her, and gently removed the blanket between them. Then slowly he pulled up her nightgown, looking at Meg for permission. Meg finally acquiesced, pulling it over her head.

He looked at her then, with something in his eyes that even she had not yet seen. Meg closed her eyes. His gaze was so intense that she began to tingle all over as if his eyes were burning into her very skin. A moment passed, and all she could hear was his slow and steady breathing.

Then, her body came to life with sensation as she felt his soft, warm skin come against her own. He gently pressed his body to hers, every inch of them touching now with no barriers between them. Meg felt a thrill of excitement when she felt his arousal hot against her, and she forgot her doubts and insecurities. This was the man she loved, the man who loved her. Her husband. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight.

"Think of this as just another type of dance." Erik said, his voice low and seductive in her ear. He drew his fingers down her side, and she arched her back to him, soft sounds of need escaping her lips.

When he filled her, and she willingly, eagerly took him in…for the first time in his life Erik felt complete.

-

**Three years later**

A brilliantly blonde toddler carefully made his way down the stairs. His momma was probably busy with boring work stuff (as usual) but he wanted to show her the new song he came up with.

He entered the room and saw that momma was with Dada and grandmamma as well. He smiled and ran into grandmamma's arms.

"Hello young one." Madame Giry chuckled, and put him down.

He sat down beside her and waited. Once they finished with their grown-up talk he knew he could show them their song and that Dada would be especially proud.

"What a miracle he is, eh?" Said Madame Giry as the little one busied himself with the nearest toy on the ground.

"Yes" Said Meg with a smile. Once he had been born, Meg had tested the boy for the disease; a precaution on the off chance that it was passed on to him even though Meg had been cured. That was when she found he had produced natural antibodies to the disease, and that had been the key to the cure. It had been almost too late for her father, and he still suffered from some permanent damage of the disease. He took it very well though, saying it was simply retribution for his past actions. Meg did not agree with this sentiment, but if that was what he needed to believe to get through each day, then she wouldn't argue with him.

"So, how is the plan coming along?" Asked Madame Giry, looking to Erik.

"Very well, in fact."

"Plan? What plan?" Asked Meg, getting frustrated at the knowing glances being passed between the two.

"Oh? Do tell." Encouraged Madame Giry.

"Alright Erik, out with it, what have you been up to?" Asked Meg, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well I have purchased a small health facility, so it's already fully staffed. All it needs is a head doctor." He looked at Meg with a smile.

"But I'm-"

"Of course, we will have to give you a male name, and dress you up a bit; but I'm sure you will do fantastic."

Meg smiled, and kissed his cheek in gratitude.

"I hope that one day I won't have to dress up." She said.

"If anyone can make that happen, it's you my dear." He replied.

When they fell silent Meg's son perked up.

"Momma, can I sing for everyone?"

She nodded and he stood up, puffing his chest out proudly. As his beautiful refrains filled the air Erik took her hand.

"I love you Meg,"

She lay her head on his shoulder happily.

"I love you, too."

Fin (because I feel fancy saying that)

--

Well that's all folks! This is actually only the second fan fiction I've ever been able to finish, so I'm super worried that the ending wasn't good enough (I never seem to know how to best end a story) so do tell me what you think!


End file.
